Non-intrusive geo-location determination associated with transaction authorization

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for non-intrusive geo-location determination associated with transaction authorization. The invention enables one or more transactions initiated by a user to be authenticated and/or validated based on, at least in part, determined locations of the user relative to the locations of the one or more transactions. The user location is determined by transmitting one or more queries to a user device. The system determines the validity of the one or more transactions based on at least comparing the transaction location to the user location, before enabling further processing of the one or more transactions. The present invention is advantageous since it enables authentication/authorization of one or more transactions associated with the user by utilizing the user location, while precluding any inadvertent privacy concerns.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S.Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/871,964 entitled“Non-Intrusive Geo-Location determination associated with TransactionAuthorization” filed on Sep. 30, 2015, which published on Mar. 30, 2017,as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0091764, each of whichis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In the new technological era, authenticating transactions, determiningauthorization of the customers and/or the merchants involved in thetransactions and determining validity of transactions, while maintainingthe security of personal and financial information is an importantconcern. As a result, several business industries, such as financialinstitutions, have taken precautionary measures to ensure the safety andprotection of their customers' financial information. A recentdevelopment is tokenization of accounts, whereby one or more securetokens or payment credentials are assigned to an account and representthe account in transactions. These transactions may be authenticatedand/or validated based on, at least in part, determined locations of thecustomers relative to the locations of the transactions, as disclosed inthe present invention. In this regard, perpetual monitoring of thecustomers' locations may not be feasible both due to the myriad oftransactions and the necessity to preserve the security of personalinformation of customers. Therefore, there is a need for systemsdirected to non-intrusive location determination for authenticationand/or authorization of transactions that preclude any inadvertentprivacy concerns.

The previous discussion of the background to the invention is providedfor illustrative purposes only and is not an acknowledgement oradmission that any of the material referred to is or was part of thecommon general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses,methods and computer program products for non-intrusive geo locationdetermination for transaction authorization, whereby the system enablesauthorization of a transaction associated with a user, based on at leastdetermining the congruence of a user location and a transaction locationwhile maintaining the privacy of the user's location information. Insome embodiments the apparatuses and systems comprise at least onememory; at least one processor; and a module stored in the memory,executable by the at least one processor, and configured to cause the atleast one processor to: receive transaction information regarding atleast one transaction associated with a user; determine a transactionlocation associated with the at least one transaction based on analyzingthe transaction information, wherein determining the transactionlocation associated with the at least one transaction further comprisesdetermining a transaction date and a transaction time associated withthe at least one transaction; determine at least one user deviceassociated with the user; formulate one or more queries related to theat least one transaction such that the one or more queries can beanswered in the affirmative or in the negative, wherein the one or morequeries are associated with the determined transaction location;transmit a request to the at least one user device to determine a userlocation, wherein the request comprises the one or more queries; receivea response from the at least one user device, wherein the responsecomprises answers to the one or more queries in the affirmative or inthe negative; and determine the validity of the at least one transactionbased on at least determining that the user location is the same as thetransaction location.

In some embodiments, receiving transaction information regarding the atleast one transaction associated with the user is an indication that theuser seeks to initiate the at least one transaction, wherein: the userlocation is the current location of the user; and determining thevalidity of the at least one transaction further comprises authorizingthe at least one transaction and enabling the at least one transactionto be completed in real time.

In some embodiments, the transaction information regarding the at leastone transaction associated with the user is received after thecompletion of the at least one transaction and prior to the settlementof the at least one transaction at a predetermined future settlementdate, wherein: the transaction information comprises a transactionhistory associated with the user; the user location is a location of theuser at the transaction date and the transaction time associated withthe at least one transaction; and determining the validity of the atleast one transaction further comprises authorizing the at least onetransaction to be settled and posted at the predetermined futuresettlement date.

In some embodiments, the system is further configured to initiateinstallation of a non-intrusive geo location determination applicationon the at least one user device, wherein the application restrictsaccess to location information of the at least one user device andwherein the application initiates storing of the location information inan isolated memory location or on a secure element of the user device.

In some embodiments, the system is further configured to: transform therequest by encoding the one or more queries, wherein the application isconfigured to decode the transformed request and provide an encodedresponse comprising answers to the one or more queries in theaffirmative or in the negative; and receive the encoded response fromthe at least one user device and decode the response to determinewhether the user location is the same as the transaction location.

In some embodiments, the system is further configured to receive one ormore parameters associated with the one or more queries from the user,wherein the one or more parameters comprise precision of locationinformation in the one or more queries, number of queries and a timeframe for receiving the one or more queries.

In some embodiments, the at least one transaction comprises a pluralityof transactions, wherein the system is further configured to initiate adisplay of a map on the at least one user device, wherein the map isaugmented with a route comprising transaction locations associated witheach of the plurality of transactions based on determining the validityof the plurality of transactions.

Some embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses,methods and computer program products for non-intrusive geo locationdetermination for transaction authorization, whereby the system enablesautomatic and real time utilization of one or more payment credentialsapplicable for a transaction initiated by the user, the apparatuscomprising: at least one memory; at least one processor; and a modulestored in the memory, executable by the at least one processor, andconfigured to cause the at least one processor to: establish anoperative communication link between a point of sale terminal associatedwith a merchant and a user device comprising a mobile walletapplication; receive an indication that a user has initiated atransaction; retrieve transaction information associated with theinitiated transaction, wherein the transaction information comprises oneor more transaction parameters, the one or more transaction parameterscomprising a geographic location and a transaction amount; determine oneor more payment credentials applicable to process the transaction basedon analyzing at least the transaction information, the one or morepayment credentials being associated with the user, wherein each of theone or more payment credentials are associated with at least onecorrelated transaction parameter of the one or more transactionparameters; initiate, automatically, a presentation of a graphical userinterface for display on the user device, wherein the graphical userinterface comprises the one or more payment credentials applicable toprocess the transaction; receive via the graphical user interface, auser selection of at least one payment credential from the one or morepayment credentials determined to be applicable to process thetransaction; and transmit via the established link, the at least onepayment credential to the point of sale terminal; wherein, thetransmitted at least one payment credential is configured to enable anexternal system to process the transaction based on the at least onecorrelated transaction parameter.

In some embodiments, the at least one correlated transaction parameteris the transaction amount, wherein determining the one or more paymentcredentials applicable to process the transaction comprises: determininga plurality of payment credentials associated with the user, whereineach of the plurality of payment credentials are associated with one ormore transaction amount parameters, the one or more transaction amountparameters comprising a maximum transaction amount; and determining theone or more payment credentials of the plurality of payment credentials,based on determining that the one or more transaction amount parametersassociated with each of the one or more payment credentials areapplicable for the transaction amount of the transaction; wherein theeach of the one or more payment credentials are configured to enable theexternal system to process the transaction in accordance with thetransaction amount.

In some embodiments, the one or more transaction amount parametersfurther comprise a time period associated with the transaction amount,frequency of use during the time period and minimum threshold balance.

In some embodiments, the at least one correlated transaction parameteris the geographic location, wherein determining the one or more paymentcredentials applicable to process the transaction comprises: determininga plurality of payment credentials associated with the user, whereineach of the plurality of payment credentials are associated with ageographic area; and determining the one or more payment credentials ofthe plurality of payment credentials, based on determining that thegeographic location of the transaction is within the geographic areaassociated with each of the one or more payment credentials; wherein theeach of the one or more payment credentials are configured to enable theexternal system to process the transaction in accordance with thegeographic location.

In some embodiments, the one or more payment credentials comprise one ormore characteristics, the one or more characteristics comprisingcurrency exchange rate, loyalty points, processing time and purchaseoffers.

In some embodiments, the system is further configured to: determine amethod of authentication associated with the transaction, wherein themethod of authentication comprises one or more authenticationcredentials provided by the user at the user device, wherein determiningthe method of authentication further comprises: requesting the one ormore authentication credentials from the user via the graphical userinterface of the user device; and receiving, the one or moreauthentication credentials from the user; and determine a level of userauthorization associated with the method of authentication.

In some embodiments, the at least one correlated transaction parameteris a level of user authorization, wherein determining the one or morepayment credentials applicable to process the transaction comprises:determining a plurality of payment credentials associated with the user,wherein each of the plurality of payment credentials are associated witha credential authorization level; and determining the one or morepayment credentials of the plurality of payment credentials, based ondetermining that the level of user authorization matches the credentialauthorization level; wherein the each of the one or more paymentcredentials are configured to enable the external system to process thetransaction in accordance with the level of user authorization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described embodiments of the invention in general terms,reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an environment in which systemsaccording to embodiments of the invention operate;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a token system, in accordance withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a token system, in accordance withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a token system, in accordance withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a high level process flow illustrating non-intrusivegeo-location determination associated with transaction authorizationaccording to some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a high level process flow illustrating non-intrusivegeo-location determination associated with transaction authorizationaccording to some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a high level process flow for transaction authorization basedon user location and/or the transaction amount in accordance with someembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a high level process flow for transaction authorization basedon user location and/or the transaction amount in accordance with someembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a high level process flow for transaction authorization basedon user authentication in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention; and

FIG. 10 a high level process flow for transaction authorization based onuser authentication in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 11 a high level process flow for payment credential utilization inaccordance with some embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention now may be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some,but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, theinvention may be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure may satisfy applicablelegal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.Where possible, any terms expressed in the singular form herein aremeant to also include the plural form and vice versa, unless explicitlystated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “a” and/or “an” shallmean “one or more,” even though the phrase “one or more” is also usedherein. Furthermore, as used herein the invention creates aninfrastructure for routing payments and completing payment processingvia token presentation at a merchant. The infrastructure may be referredto as a payment infrastructure, token infrastructure, and/or internalinfrastructure, that is created for the recognition and processing oftokens to complete a transaction with a merchant that may not have theinfrastructure capabilities to complete and process a transaction usinga token.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the term “financialtransaction” or “transaction” refers to any transaction involvingdirectly or indirectly the movement of monetary funds throughtraditional paper transaction processing systems (i.e. paper checkprocessing) or through electronic transaction processing systems.Typical financial transactions include point of sale (POS) transactions,automated teller machine (ATM) transactions, internet transactions,online shopping, electronic funds transfers (EFT) between accounts,transactions with a financial institution teller, personal checks, etc.When discussing that transactions are evaluated it could mean that thetransaction is yet to be executed, or the transaction has alreadyoccurred, is in the process of occurring or being processed, or it hasyet to be processed by one or more financial institutions. In someembodiments of the invention, the transaction may be a customer accountevent, such as but not limited to the customer changing a password,ordering new checks, adding new accounts, opening new accounts, addingor modifying account parameters/restrictions, modifying a payee listassociated with one or more accounts, setting up automatic payments andthe like.

An “entity” as used herein may be a financial institution. In accordancewith embodiments of the invention, the term “financial institution”refers to any organization in the business of providing financialservices, transferring, investing, or lending money, dealing infinancial instruments, or services that involve monetary transactions.This includes commercial banks, thrifts, federal and state savingsbanks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, investmentcompanies, merchants, insurance companies and the like. In someembodiments, the entity may allow a user to establish an account withthe entity. An “account” may be the relationship that the user has withthe entity. Examples of accounts include a deposit account, such as atransactional account (e.g. a banking account), a savings account, aninvestment account, a money market account, a time deposit, a demanddeposit, a pre-paid account, a credit account, or the like. The accountis associated with and/or maintained by an entity. In some embodiments,the entity may provide one or more financial instruments to the user forexecuting financial transactions. In some embodiments, the financialinstruments like credit cards, debit cards, checks, account identifiers,routing numbers, passcodes and the like are associated with one or moreaccounts of the user. In other embodiments, an “entity” may not be afinancial institution. In some embodiments, an entity may be anyinstitution, group, association, club, establishment, company, union,authority or the like with which a user may have a relationship. In someembodiments, the entity represents a vendor or a merchant with whom theuser engages in financial (for example: purchases, payments, returns,enrolling in merchant accounts and the like) or non-financialtransactions (for example: loyalty programs and the like), either onlineor in physical stores.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention the terms “customer” and“user” and “consumer” may be interchangeable. These terms may relate toa direct customer of the financial institution or person or entity thathas authorization to act on behalf of the direct customer, user, orconsumer (i.e., indirect customer). In some embodiments, the directcustomer may provide one or more financial instruments associated withthe direct customer to one or more indirect customers or entities forthe purpose of executing transactions.

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to tokenization,which is generally described in the area of financial transactions asutilizing a “token” (e.g., an alias, substitute, surrogate, or otherlike token identifier) as a replacement for sensitive accountinformation, and in particular account numbers. As such, tokens orportions of tokens may be used as a stand in for a user account number,user name, pin number, routing information related to the financialinstitution associated with the account, security code, or other likeinformation relating to the user account. The one or more tokens maythen be utilized as a payment instrument to complete a transaction. Theone or more tokens may be associated with one or more payment devicesdirectly or within one or more digital wallets associated with thepayment devices. In other embodiments, the tokens may be associated withelectronic transactions that are made over the interne instead of usinga physical payment device. Utilizing a token as a payment instrumentinstead of actual account information, and specifically an accountnumber, improves security, and provides flexibility and convenience incontrolling the transactions, controlling accounts used for thetransactions, and sharing transactions between various users.

Tokens may be single-use instruments or multi-use instruments dependingon the types of controls (e.g., limits) initiated for the token, and thetransactions in which the token is used as a payment instrument.Single-use tokens may be utilized once, and thereafter disappear, arereplaced, or are erased, while multi-use tokens may be utilized morethan once before they disappear, are replaced, or are erased. In someembodiments, tokens may be used in lieu of or in combination with otherconventionally used payment instruments like checks, credit cards, debitcards, account identifiers like account numbers, routing numbers, creditcard numbers, CVV numbers, personal identification numbers and the like.

Tokens may be 16-digit numbers (e.g., like credit, debit, or other likeaccount numbers), may be numbers that are less than 16-digits, or maycontain a combination of numbers, symbols, letters, or the like, and bemore than, less than, or equal to 16-characters. In some embodiments,the tokens may have to be 16-characters or less in order to becompatible with the standard processing systems between merchants,acquiring financial institutions (e.g., merchant financial institution),card association networks (e.g., card processing companies), issuingfinancial institutions (e.g., user financial institution), or the like,which are used to request authorization, and approve or denytransactions entered into between a merchant (e.g., a specific businessor individual user) and a user. In other embodiments of the invention,the tokens may be other types of electronic information (e.g., pictures,codes, or the like) that could be used to enter into a transactioninstead of, or in addition to, using a string of characters (e.g.,numbered character strings, alphanumeric character strings, symboliccharacter strings, combinations thereof, or the like). In someembodiments, the tokens may vary depending on the type of accountinformation being tokenized. For example, tokens directed to a useraccount may comprise two or more parts, each reflecting an accountidentifier like account number and routing number. Tokens directed to acredit card may comprise a single part reflecting the credit card numberor may comprise multiple parts also reflecting other card details likeCVV number and the expiration date in addition to the credit cardnumber. In some embodiments, the tokens are device-specific and areunique to a particular device of the user and may comprise at least aportion of the device identifier of the user device. For example, theuser may have multiple tokens directed to a single account storedon/used with one or more devices. The tokens used with/stored in each ofthe one or more devices may be distinct and device specific, even thoughthe tokens are associated with the same user account.

A user may have one or more digital wallets on the user's paymentdevice. The digital wallets may be associated specifically with theuser's financial institution, or in other embodiments may be associatedwith a specific merchant, group of merchants, or other third parties.The user may associate one or more user accounts (e.g., from the sameinstitution or from multiple institutions) with the one or more digitalwallets. In some embodiments, instead of the digital wallet storing thespecific account number associated with the user account, the digitalwallet may store a token or allow access to a token (e.g., provide alink or information that directs a system to a location of a token), inorder to represent the specific account number during a transaction. Inother embodiments of the invention, the digital wallet may store some orall of the user account information (e.g., account number, user name,pin number, or the like), including the user account number, butpresents the one or more tokens instead of the user account informationwhen entering into a transaction with a merchant. The merchant may be abusiness, a person that is selling a good or service (hereinafter“product”), or any other institution or individual with which the useris entering into a transaction.

The digital wallet may be utilized in a number of different ways. Forexample, the digital wallet may be a device digital wallet, a clouddigital wallet, an e-commerce digital wallet, or another type of digitalwallet. In the case of a device digital wallet the tokens are actuallystored on the payment device. In some embodiments, when the devicedigital wallet is used in a transaction the token stored on the deviceis used to enter into the transaction with the merchant. With respect toa cloud digital wallet the device does not store the token, but insteadthe token is stored in the cloud of the provider of the digital wallet(or another third party). When the user enters into a transaction with amerchant, transaction information is collected and provided to the ownerof the cloud to determine the token, and thus, how the transactionshould be processed. In the case of an e-commerce digital wallet, atransaction is entered into over the Internet and not through a point ofsale terminal. As was the case with the cloud digital wallet, whenentering into a transaction with the merchant over the Internet thetransaction information may be captured and transferred to the walletprovider (e.g., in some embodiments, this may be the merchant or anotherthird party that stores the token), and the transaction may be processedaccordingly.

Specific tokens, in some embodiments, may be tied to a single useraccount, but in other embodiments, may be tied to multiple useraccounts, as will be described throughout this application. In someembodiments, a single token could represent multiple accounts, such thatwhen entering into a transaction the user may select the token (ordigital wallet associated with the token) and select one of the one ormore accounts associated with the token in order to allocate thetransaction to a specific account. In still other embodiments, afterselection of the token by the user the system may determine the bestaccount associated with the token to use during the transaction (e.g.,most cash back, most rewards points, best discount, prior usage or thelike). In addition, the tokens may be associated with a specific digitalwallet or multiple digital wallets as desired by the institutions orusers.

Moreover, the tokens themselves, or the user accounts, individual users,digital wallets, or the like associated with the tokens, may havelimitations that limit the transactions that the users may enter intousing the tokens. The limitations may include, limiting the transactionsof the user to a single merchant, a group of multiple merchants,merchant categories, single products, a group a products, productcategories, transaction amounts, transaction numbers, geographiclocations, time limits or other like limits, either alone or incombination, as is described herein.

Presenting a credit card on a digital wallet may provide a visual bankor credit card to the user. As referred to herein, the visual bank orcredit card may refer to, but is not limited to, an electronic ordigital transaction vehicle or a physical vehicle that can be used totransfer money, make a payment (for a service or a good), withdrawmoney, and similar or related transactions. Using an approved/authorizedbanking channel of communication, which may include making a phone call,accessing online banking, walking into a branch banking center, using anautomatic teller machine or a point of sale device, or the like, a usermay indicate that an existing physical transaction card associated withone or more financial accounts of the user is misplaced, lost, or hasbeen misappropriated.

Building an alternate payments ecosystem utilizing tokenization requiresa number of entities working together in order to deliver alternative,such as near field communication (NFC) or other technology based paymentservices to the end users. One of the issues is the interoperabilitybetween the players and to resolve this issue the role of trustedservice manager (TSM) is proposed to establish a technical link betweena user device and providers of services, so that these entities can worktogether. Tokenization can play a role in mediating such services.

Tokenization as a security strategy lies in the ability to replace areal card number with a token number and the subsequent limitationsplaced on the token number. If the token number can be used in anunlimited fashion or even in a broadly applicable manner, the tokenvalue gains as much value as the real credit card number. In thesecases, the token may be secured by a second dynamic token that is uniquefor each transaction and also associated to a specific payment card.Examples of dynamic, transaction-specific tokens include cryptogramsused in the EMV specification, and DDM mobile payment transactions.

Merchants do not always have the intricate and detailed infrastructurenecessary to receive a token and process that token as a payment deviceor payment account for a transaction. As such, the invention provides amigration system for token processing for merchants.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, orcomputer program products for non-intrusive geo-location determinationassociated with transaction authorization. When a user initiates atransaction with a merchant using one or more payment instruments,either online or in a physical store, authentication of the transactionis crucial for processing and/or settlement of the transaction. Thisauthentication may comprise, in one form or another, authenticating theuser and/or the merchant involved, authenticating the paymentinstrument, determining authorization of the user and/or the merchant,determining validity of transaction and the like, either in real-time(or near real time) or at a predetermined settlement date. Thisauthentication may be accomplished, at least in part, based ondetermining the location of the user with a certain precision. Forexample, the location of a user device may be determined and compared tothe location of the merchant associated with the transaction. Thelocation of the user may be determined continuously and user locationhistory may be generated. For instance, the location of the user devicemay be determined by retrieving global positioning data from a userdevice, by analyzing audio-visual data received from the user device, byutilizing beacons and other transmitter devices, by analyzing socialmedia feeds and online posts of the user or by other methods known inthe art. While these intrusive methods may help determine the user'slocation with varying levels of accuracy, they may also inadvertentlyraise concerns about privacy of the user's personal information,specifically the information associated with the user's current locationand location history. Embodiments of the present invention eliminate anyprivacy issues by authenticating the user without requiring the actuallocation coordinates of the user or the user device and withoutmonitoring and tracking the user location by GPS and other intrusivemeans. In this regard, in some embodiments, the user may beauthenticated, based at least in part, on the user location relative toa landmark location, for example, the location of the associatedmerchant, without requiring additional infrastructure for locationdetermination such as transmitter devices at the landmark location. Someembodiments of the invention are also directed to determining optimaltokens based on the user location. Some embodiments of the invention aredirected to determining optimal tokens based on the type of userauthentication.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system environment 200 for non-intrusivegeo-location determination associated with transaction authorization, inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1provides the system environment 200 for which the distributive networksystem with specialized data feeds associated with the distributivenetwork with specialized data feeds associated with the distributivenetwork, specific triggering events associated with the data feeds, anddata transformation throughout the data feeds to allow for a merchant tohave non-infrastructural changes but still allow for tokenizationmigration and acceptance. FIG. 1 provides a unique system that includesspecialized servers and system communicably linked across a distributivenetwork of nodes required to generate uniquely coded tokens and allowthose tokens to be stored on a user system 204, on a cloud or otherexternal servers and systems, utilized in a transaction with a merchantsystem 206, and to be pulled and processed for payment via the systemserver 208 without infrastructural implementations to the merchantsystem 206. In some embodiments, the merchant system 206 may be a pointof sale terminal, an automated teller machine (ATM) or a system/deviceused to perform transactions. The system, with its communicably linkeddiffusible network may, in some embodiments, improve a computing deviceif utilized thereon by improving the ability for the computer device toread and route tokens for transactions that are incompatible with acomputer device based on a lack of infrastructural changes to thedevice.

The network 201 may be a system specific distributive network receivingand distributing specific network feeds and identifying specific networkassociated triggers. The network 201 may also be a global area network(GAN), such as the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), a local areanetwork (LAN), a telecommunication network, Near Field Communicationnetwork or any other type of network or combination of networks. Thenetwork 201 may provide for wireline, wireless, or a combinationwireline and wireless communication between devices on the network 201.In some embodiments, the user 202 is an individual who maintainscellular products with one or more providers.

In some embodiments, the user 202 is an individual consumer that istransacting with a merchant. Furthermore, the user 202 is one or moreindividuals that may have an online banking presents and/or a digitalwallet. The user 202 may make one or more transactions to purchase aproduct with a credit card via a digital wallet. In some embodiments,the purchase may be made by the user 202 using a user system 204.

FIG. 1 also illustrates a user system 204. The user system 204 generallycomprises a communication device 212, a processing device 214, and amemory device 216. The user system 204 is a computing system that allowsa user 202 to interact with the financial institution to generate adigital or mobile wallet, access online banking applications, andutilize a digital wallet for transaction completion at a merchant. Theprocessing device 214 is operatively coupled to the communication device212 and the memory device 216. The processing device 214 uses thecommunication device 212 to communicate with the network 201 and otherdevices on the network 201, such as, but not limited to the merchantsystem 206, the system server 208 and other third party systems anddatabases. In some embodiments, the processing device 214 may send orreceive data from the user system 204, to the system server 208 via thecommunication device 212 over a network 201. As such, the communicationdevice 212 generally comprises a modem, server, or other device forcommunicating with other devices on the network 201.

The user system 204 comprises computer-readable instructions 220 anddata storage 218 stored in the memory device 216, which in someembodiments includes the computer-readable instructions 220 of a userapplication 222. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the userapplication 222 allows the user system 204 to be linked to the systemserver 208 to communicate, via a network 201. In this way, a user 202may open a financial institution account, apply for credit cards,remotely communicate with the financial institution, authorize andcomplete a transaction, or complete a transaction using the user system204 via a digital wallet. The user application 222 may also allow theuser system, for example, a mobile device to connect directly (i.e.locally or device to device) with the merchant system 206 for performinga transaction. The user application 222 may perform one or more of thesteps and/or sub-steps discussed herein and/or one or more steps notdiscussed herein. For example, in some embodiments, the user application222 may initiate presentation of an interface for digital walletmanagement. Furthermore, the user application 222 may receive, based oninstructions, a token from the system server 208 and store on the memorydevice 216 of the user system 204 in some embodiments. The user system204 may be, for example, a desktop personal computer, a mobile system,such as a cellular phone, smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA),laptop, wearable device or the like. For example, in some embodiments,the user system 204 may comprise one or more user devices comprisingmobile phones, tablets, smartphones, computers and wearable devices likesmart watches, glasses, jewelry, fitness and activity monitors and thelike.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the system server 208 generallycomprises a communication device 246, a processing device 248, and amemory device 250. As used herein, the term “processing device”generally includes circuitry used for implementing the communicationand/or logic functions of the particular system. For example, aprocessing device may include a digital signal processor device, amicroprocessor device, and various analog-to-digital converters,digital-to-analog converters, and other support circuits and/orcombinations of the foregoing. Control and signal processing functionsof the system are allocated between these processing devices accordingto their respective capabilities. The processing device may includefunctionality to operate one or more software programs based oncomputer-readable instructions thereof, which may be stored in a memorydevice.

The processing device 248 is operatively coupled to the communicationdevice 246 and the memory device 250. The processing device 248 uses thecommunication device 246 to communicate with the network 201 and otherdevices on the network 201, such as, but not limited to the merchantsystem 206 and the user system 204. As such, the communication device246 generally comprises a modem, server, or other device forcommunicating with other devices on the network 201. As furtherillustrated in FIG. 1, the system server 208 comprises computer-readableinstructions 254 stored in the memory device 250, which in oneembodiment includes the computer-readable instructions 254 of a systemapplication 258. In some embodiments, the memory device 250 includesdata storage 252 for storing data related to the system environment, butnot limited to data created and/or used by the system application 258.The application 258 may perform one or more of the steps and/orsub-steps discussed herein and/or one or more steps not discussedherein.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the merchant system 206 is connected to thesystem server 208 and is associated with a merchant selling products orservices. In this way, while only one merchant system 206 is illustratedin FIG. 1, it is understood that multiple merchant systems may make upthe system environment 200. The merchant system 206 generally comprisesa communication device 236, a processing device 238, and a memory device240. In some embodiments, the processing device 238 may send or receivedata from the user system 204 and/or the system server 208 via thecommunication device 236. Such communication may be performed eitherover a direct connection and/or over a network 201. As such, thecommunication device 236 generally comprises a modem, server, or otherdevice for communication with other devices on the network 201. In someembodiments, the merchant system 206 comprises computer-readableinstructions 242 stored in the memory device 240, which in oneembodiment includes the computer-readable instructions 242 of a merchantapplication 244.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the merchant application 244provides products and services to a user 202 and is part of one or moreuser transactions. In some embodiments, the merchant application 244 maybe part of a network associated with the merchant that provides productsand services to a user 202 via online or mobile means. Furthermore, themerchant application 244 may be associate with a brink-and-mortarmerchant location. As such, the merchant application 244 may be a partof one or more user transactions when the user 202 transacts with themerchant. As further illustrated in FIG. 4, the merchant system 206comprises computer-readable instructions 242 of an application 440. Inthe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the application 440 allows themerchant system 206 to be linked to the system server 208 tocommunicate, via a network 201. The merchant application 244 may alsoallow the user system 204 to connect directly (i.e., locally or deviceto device) with the merchant system 206 or indirectly through thenetwork 201. The merchant application 244 may perform one or more of thesteps and/or sub-steps discussed herein and/or one or more steps notdiscussed herein. Furthermore the merchant application 244 may receiveone or more tokens or payment credentials as a payment vehicle for atransaction at the merchant.

It is understood that the servers, systems, and devices described hereinillustrate one embodiment of the invention. It is further understoodthat one or more of the servers, systems, and devices can be combined inother embodiments and still function in the same or similar way as theembodiments described herein.

In various embodiments, the merchant system may be or include a merchantmachine and/or server and/or may be or include the mobile device of theuser may function as a point of transaction device. The embodimentsdescribed herein may refer to the use of a transaction, transactionevent or point of transaction event to trigger the steps, functions,routines etc. described herein. In various embodiments, occurrence of atransaction triggers the sending of information such as alerts and thelike. Unless specifically limited by the context, a “transaction”,“transaction event” or “point of transaction event” refers to anycommunication between the user and the merchant, e.g. financialinstitution, or other entity performing transactions for the user. Insome embodiments, for example, a transaction may refer to a purchase ofgoods or services, a return of goods or services, a payment transaction,a credit transaction, or other interaction involving a user's bankaccount. As used herein, a “bank account” refers to a credit account, adebit/deposit account, or the like. Although the phrase “bank account”includes the term “bank,” the account need not be maintained by a bankand may, instead, be maintained by other financial institutions. Forexample, in the context of a financial institution, a transaction mayrefer to one or more of a sale of goods and/or services, an accountbalance inquiry, a rewards transfer, an account money transfer, openinga bank application on a user's computer or mobile device, a useraccessing their e-wallet or any other interaction involving the userand/or the user's device that is detectable by the financialinstitution. As further examples, a transaction may occur when an entityassociated with the user is alerted via the transaction of the user'slocation. A transaction may occur when a user accesses a building, usesa rewards card, and/or performs an account balance query. A transactionmay occur as a user device, such as a mobile device establishes awireless connection, such as a Wi-Fi connection, with a merchant systemsuch as a point-of-sale terminal. In some embodiments, a transaction mayinclude one or more of the following: purchasing, renting, selling,and/or leasing goods and/or services (e.g., groceries, stamps, tickets,DVDs, vending machine items, etc.); withdrawing cash; making payments tocreditors (e.g., paying monthly bills; paying federal, state, and/orlocal taxes and/or bills; etc.); sending remittances; transferringbalances from one account to another account; loading money onto storedvalue cards (SVCs) and/or prepaid cards; donating to charities; and/orthe like.

In some embodiments, the transaction may refer to an event and/or actionor group of actions facilitated or performed by a user's device, such asa user's mobile device. Such a device may be referred to herein as a“point-of-transaction device”. A “point-of-transaction” could refer toany location, virtual location or otherwise proximate occurrence of atransaction. A “point-of-transaction device” may refer to any deviceused to perform a transaction, either from the user's perspective, themerchant's perspective or both. In some embodiments, thepoint-of-transaction device refers only to a user's device, in otherembodiments it refers only to a merchant device, and in yet otherembodiments, it refers to both a user device and a merchant deviceinteracting to perform a transaction. For example, in one embodiment,the point-of-transaction device refers to the user's mobile deviceconfigured to communicate with a merchant's point of sale terminal,whereas in other embodiments, the point-of-transaction device refers tothe merchant's point of sale terminal configured to communicate with auser's mobile device, and in yet other embodiments, thepoint-of-transaction device refers to both the user's mobile device andthe merchant's point of sale terminal configured to communicate witheach other to carry out a transaction.

As used herein, a “user device” or “mobile device” may be apoint-of-transaction device as discussed, or may otherwise be a devicecarried by a user configured to communicate across a network such as acellular network, wireless fidelity network or otherwise. As used here a“user” refers to a previous customer or a non-customer of one or moremerchants or entities associated with one or more merchants.

In some embodiments, a point-of-transaction device is or includes aninteractive computer terminal that is configured to initiate, perform,complete, and/or facilitate one or more transactions. Apoint-of-transaction device could be or include any device that a usermay use to perform a transaction with an entity, such as, but notlimited to, an ATM, a loyalty device such as a rewards card, loyaltycard or other loyalty device, a magnetic-based payment device (e.g., acredit card, debit card, etc.), a personal identification number (PIN)payment device, a contactless payment device (e.g., a key fob), a radiofrequency identification device (RFID) and the like, a computer, (e.g.,a personal computer, tablet computer, desktop computer, server, laptop,etc.), a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, cellular phone, personaldigital assistant (PDA) device, MP3 device, personal GPS device, etc.),a merchant terminal, a self-service machine (e.g., vending machine,self-checkout machine, etc.), a public and/or business kiosk (e.g., anInternet kiosk, ticketing kiosk, bill pay kiosk, etc.), a gaming device,and/or various combinations of the foregoing.

In some embodiments, a point-of-transaction device is operated in apublic place (e.g., on a street corner, at the doorstep of a privateresidence, in an open market, at a public rest stop, etc.). In otherembodiments, the point-of-transaction device is additionally oralternatively operated in a place of business (e.g., in a retail store,post office, banking center, grocery store, factory floor, etc.). Inaccordance with some embodiments, the point-of-transaction device is notowned by the user of the point-of-transaction device. Rather, in someembodiments, the point-of-transaction device is owned by a mobilebusiness operator or a point-of-transaction operator (e.g., merchant,vendor, salesperson, etc.). In yet other embodiments, thepoint-of-transaction device is owned by the financial institutionoffering the point-of-transaction device providing functionality inaccordance with embodiments of the invention described herein.

FIGS. 2 through 4 illustrate a number of different ways that the user202 may use one or more tokens in order to enter into a transaction, aswell as how the parties associated with the transaction may process thetransaction. FIG. 2, illustrates one embodiment of a token systemprocess 1, wherein the token system process 1 is used in associationwith a tokenization service 50. The tokenization service 50 may beprovided by a third-party institution, the user's financial institution,or another institution involved in a transaction payment process. Asillustrated in FIG. 2 (as well as in FIGS. 3 and 4), a user 202 mayutilize a payment device 4 (or in other embodiments a payment instrumentover the Internet) to enter into a transaction. FIG. 2 illustrates thepayment device 4 as a mobile device, such as a smartphone, personaldigital assistant, or other like mobile payment device, however in someembodiments, the payment device 4 may be any user system 204. Othertypes of payment devices 4 may be used to make payments, such as but notlimited to an electronic payment card, key fob, a wearable paymentdevice (e.g., watch, glasses, or the like), or other like paymentdevices 4. As such, when using a payment device 4 the transaction may bemade between the point of sale (POS) and the payment device 4 byscanning information from the payment device 4, using near fieldcommunication (NFC) between the POS and the payment device 4, usingwireless communication between the POS and the payment device 4, orusing another other type of communication between the POS and thepayment device 4. When entering into an e-commerce transaction over theInternet, for example using the payment device 4 or another devicewithout a POS, a payment instrument (e.g., a payment application thatstores the token) may be used to enter into the transaction. The paymentinstrument may be the same as the token or digital wallet associatedwith the payment device 4, except they are not associated with specificpayment device. For example, the token or digital wallet may beassociated with a payment application that can be used regardless thedevice being used to enter into the transaction over the Internet.

The token can be associated directly with the payment device 4, orotherwise, through one or more digital wallets associated with thepayment device 4. For example, the token may be stored on one or morepayment devices 4 directly, and as such any transaction entered into bythe user 202 with the one or more payment devices 4 may utilize thetoken. Alternatively, the payment device 4 may have one or more digitalwallets stored on the payment device 4 that allow the user 202 to storeone or more user account numbers, or tokens associated with the useraccount numbers, on the one or more digital wallets. The user may selecta digital wallet or account within the digital wallet in order to enterinto a transaction using a specific type of customer account. As such,the digital wallets may be associated with the user's issuing financialinstitutions 40, other financial institutions, merchants 10 with whichthe user enters into transactions, or a third party institutions thatfacilitates transactions between users 2 and merchants 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a tokenization service 50 may be available forthe user 202 to use during transactions. As such, before entering into atransaction, the user 202 may generate (e.g., create, request, or thelike) a token in order to make a payment using the tokenization service50, and in response the tokenization service 50 provides a token to theuser and stores an association between the token and the user accountnumber in a secure token and account database 52. In some embodimentsthe tokenization service may provide the user with a token in encryptedform for added security, such that only intended recipients (forexample: tokenization service 50, issuing financial institution 20,payment device 4 or the like) may identify and/or decrypt the tokendata. The token may be stored in the user's payment device 4 (e.g., onthe digital wallet) or stored on the cloud or other service through thetokenization service 50. The tokenization service 50 may also storelimits (e.g., geographic limits, transaction amount limits, merchantlimits, product limits, any other limit described herein, or the like)associated with the token that may limit the transactions in which theuser 202 may enter. The limits may be placed on the token by the user202, or another entity (e.g., client, administrator, person, company, orthe like) responsible for the transactions entered into by the user 202using the account associated with the token. The generation of the tokenmay occur at the time of the transaction or well in advance of thetransaction, as a one-time use token or multi-use token.

After or during creation of the token the user 202 enters into atransaction with a merchant 10 using the payment device 4 (or paymentinstrument over the Internet). In some embodiments, the user 202 may usethe payment device 4 by itself, or specifically select a digital walletor user account stored within the digital wallet, to use in order toenter into the transaction. The token associated with payment device,digital wallet, or user account within the wallet is presented to themerchant 10 as payment in lieu of the actual user account number and/orother user account information. The merchant 10 receives the token,multiple tokens, and/or additional user account information for thetransaction. The merchant 10 may or may not know that the token beingpresented for the transaction is a substitute for a user account numberor other user account information. The merchant also capturestransaction information (e.g., merchant, merchant location, transactionamount, product, or the like) related to the transaction in which theuser 202 is entering with the merchant 10.

The merchant 10 submits the token (as well as any user accountinformation not substituted by a token) and the transaction informationfor authorization along the normal processing channels (also describedas processing rails), which are normally used to process a transactionmade by the user 202 using a user account number. In one embodiment ofthe invention the acquiring financial institution 20, or any otherinstitution used to process transactions from the merchant 10, receivesthe token, user account information, and transaction information fromthe merchant 10. The acquiring financial institution 20 identifies thetoken as being associated with a particular tokenization service 50through the token itself or user account information associated with thetoken. For example, the identification of the tokenization service 50may be made through a sub-set of characters associated with the token, arouting number associated with the token, device information associatedwith the token, other information associated with the token (e.g.,tokenization service name), or the like. The acquiring financialinstitution 20 may communicate with the tokenization service 50 in orderto determine the user account number associated with the token. Thetokenization service 50 may receive the token and transaction data fromthe acquiring financial institution 20, and in response, provide theacquiring financial institution 20 the user account number associatedwith the token as well as other user information that may be needed tocomplete the transaction (e.g., user name, issuing financial institutionrouting number, user account number security codes, pin number, or thelike). In other embodiments, if limits have been placed on the token,the tokenization service 50 may determine whether or not the transactioninformation meets the limits and either allows or denies the transaction(e.g., provides the user account number or fails to provide the useraccount number). The embodiment being described occurs when the token isactually stored on the payment device 4. In other embodiments, forexample, when the actual token is stored in a cloud the payment device 4may only store a link to the token or other token information thatallows the merchant 10 or acquiring financial institution to acquire thetoken from a stored cloud location.

If the acquiring financial institution 20 receives the user accountnumber from the tokenization service 50 (e.g., the tokenization serviceindicates that the transaction meets the limits), then the acquiringfinancial institution 20 thereafter sends the user account number, theother user information, and the transaction information directly to theissuing financial institution 40, or otherwise indirectly through thecard association networks 30. The issuing financial institution 40determines if the user 202 has the funds available to enter into thetransaction, and if the transaction meets other limits on the useraccount, and responds with approval or denial of the transaction. Theapproval runs back through the processing channels until the acquiringfinancial institution 20 provides approval or denial of the transactionto the merchant 10 and the transaction between the merchant 10 and theuser 202 is completed. After the transaction is completed the token maybe deleted, erased, or the like if it is a single-use token, or storedfor further use if it is a multi-use token. In some embodiments, amulti-use token may be accompanied by or may include unique passcodesgenerated for every transaction. In this regard a key may be used togenerate dynamic security codes for each transaction.

Instead of the process described above, in which the acquiring financialinstitution 20 requests the token from the tokenization service 50, insome embodiments, the tokenization service 50 may receive thetransaction request and transaction information from the merchant 10 oracquiring financial institution 20. Instead of providing the accountnumber to the acquiring financial institution 20, the tokenizationservice 50 may send the transaction request and transaction informationto the issuing financial institution 40 directly, or indirectly throughthe payment association networks 30.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 prevents the user account numberand other user information from being presented to the merchant 10;however, the tokenization service 50, acquiring financial institution20, the card association networks 30, and the issuing financialinstitution 40 may all utilize the actual user account number and otheruser information to complete the transaction.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a token system process 1, inwhich the user 202 may utilize a payment device 4 (or payment instrumentover the Internet) to enter into transactions with merchants 10utilizing tokens instead of user account numbers. As illustrated in FIG.3, the user may have one or more tokens, which may be associated withthe payment device 4, one or more digital wallets within the paymentdevice 4, or one or more user accounts associated with the digitalwallets. The one or more tokens may be stored in the user's paymentdevice 4 (or on the digital wallet), or stored on a cloud or otherservice through the issuing financial institution 40 or anotherinstitution. The user 202 may set up the digital wallet by communicatingwith the issuing financial institution 40 (e.g., the user's financialinstitution) to request a token for the payment device, either for thedevice itself, or for one or more digital wallets or one or more useraccounts stored on the payment device. As previously discussed, a walletmay be specifically associated with a particular merchant (e.g.,received from the merchant 10) and include one or more tokens providedby the issuing financial institution 40 directly (or through themerchant as described with respect to FIG. 4). In other embodiments, theissuing financial institution 40 may create the digital wallet for theuser 202 (e.g., through a wallet created for a business client or retailclient associated with the user 202) and include one or more tokens forvarious types of transactions, products, or the like. The issuingfinancial institution 40 may store the tokens, the associated useraccount information (e.g., including the user account number), and anylimits on the use of the tokens, as was previously described withrespect to the tokenization service 50 in FIG. 2. In one embodiment thetokens may include user account information or routing informationwithin the token or tied to the token, which allows the merchants 10 andother institutions in the payment processing systems to route the tokenand the transaction information to the proper institutions forprocessing. In other embodiments a tokenization routing database 32 maybe utilized to determine where to route a transaction using a token, asdescribed in further detail later.

The user 202 may enter into a transaction with the merchant 10 using apayment device 4 (or a payment instrument through the Internet). In oneembodiment the user 202 may enter into the transaction with a tokenassociated with the payment device 4 itself (or a payment instrumentthrough the Internet). In other embodiments, a specific digital walletand/or a specific account within the digital wallet may be selected fora particular merchant with whom the user 202 wants to enter into atransaction. For example, the user 202 may select “wallet 1” to enterinto a transaction with “merchant 1” and “token 1” to utilize a specificaccount. The merchant 10 identifies the token, and sends the token andthe transaction information to the acquiring financial institution 20.If the token has routing information the acquiring financial institution20 may route the token and transaction data to the issuing financialinstitution 40 directly or through the card association networks 30. Insituations where the token does not have associated routing information,the acquiring financial institution 20 may utilize a tokenizationrouting database 32 that stores tokens or groups of tokens and indicatesto which issuing financial institutions 40 the tokens should be routed.One or more of the acquiring financial institutions 20, the cardassociation networks 30, and/or the issuing financial institutions 40may control the tokenization routing database in order to assign andmanage routing instructions for tokenization across the paymentprocessing industry. The tokenization routing database 32 may bepopulated with the tokens and the corresponding issuing financialinstitutions 40 to which transactions associated with the tokens shouldbe routed. However, in some embodiments, no customer account informationwould be stored in this tokenization routing database 32, only theinstructions for routing particular tokens may be stored.

Once the token and transaction details are routed to the issuingfinancial institution 40, the issuing financial institution 20determines the user account associated with the token through the use ofthe token account database 42. The financial institution determines ifthe funds are available in the user account for the transaction and ifthe transaction information meets other limits by comparing thetransaction information with the limits associated with the token, theuser account associated with the token, or other limits describedherein. If the transaction meets the limits associated with the token oruser account, then the issuing financial institution 20 allows thetransaction. If the transaction information does not meet one or more ofthe limits, then the issuing financial institution 20 denies thetransaction. The issuing financial institution sends a notification ofthe approval or denial of the transaction back along the channels of thetransaction processing system to the merchant 10, which either allows ordenies the transaction.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 allows the user and the financialinstitution to shield the user's account number and other userinformation from all of the entities in the payment processing systembecause the merchant 10, acquiring merchant bank 20, payment associationnetworks 30, or other institutions in the payment processing system onlyuse the token and/or other shielded user information to process thetransaction. Only the issuing financial institution 40 has the actualaccount number of the user 202.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the token system process 1, inwhich the user 202 may utilize a payment device 4 (or payment instrumentover the Internet) to enter into transactions with a merchant 10utilizing a token instead of a user account number and/or other useraccount information. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the user 202 may have oneor more tokens associated with the payment device 2, the one or moredigital wallets, or one or more user accounts within the digitalwallets. The one or more tokens may be stored in the user's paymentdevice 4 (or within the digital wallet), or stored on a cloud or otherservice through the issuing financial institution 40 or anotherinstitution. The user 202 may set up the digital wallet by communicatingwith the issuing financial institution 40 (e.g., the user's financialinstitution) and/or the merchant 10 to request a token for the paymentdevice 4, either for the payment device 4 itself, for the one or moredigital wallets stored on the payment device 4, or for user accountswithin the digital wallet. The financial institution 40 may have adedicated group of tokens that are associated with a specific merchant,and as such the merchant 10 and the issuing financial institution 40 maycommunicate with each other to provide one or more tokens to the user202 that may be specifically associated with the merchant 10. Forexample, the issuing financial institution may provide a set of tokensto “merchant 1” to associate with “wallet 1” that may be used by one ormore users 2. As such “Token 10” may be associated with “wallet 1” andbe specified only for use for transactions with “merchant 1.”

The merchant 10 may provide the specific tokens from the financialinstitution 40 to the user 202, while the financial institution 40 maystore the user account information with the token provided to the user202. The financial institution may communicate directly with the user202, or through the merchant 10 in some embodiments, in order toassociate the token with the user 202. Since the merchant 10 provides,or is at least notified by the financial institution 40, that a specifictoken, or groups of tokens, are associated with a specific issuingfinancial institution 40, then the merchant 10 may associate routinginformation and transaction information with the token when the user 202enters into a transaction with the merchant 10 using the token.

The merchant 10 passes the token (and potentially other user accountinformation), routing information, and transaction information to theacquiring financial institution 20 using the traditional paymentprocessing channels. The acquiring financial institution 20, in turn,passes the token (and potentially other user account information) andtransaction information to the issuing financial institution 40directly, or indirectly through the payment association networks 30using the routing information. The issuing financial institution 40accesses the token and account database 42 to identify the user accountassociated with the token and determines if the transaction informationviolates any limits associated with the token or the user account. Theissuing financial institution 40 then either approves or denies thetransaction and sends the approval or denial notification back throughthe payment processing system channels to the merchant 10, which thennotifies the user 202 that the transaction is allowed or denied.

As is the case with the token system process 1 in FIG. 3, the tokensystem process 1 in FIG. 4 allows the user 202 and the financialinstitution 40 to shield the user's account number and other userinformation from all of the entities in the payment processing systembecause the merchant 10, acquiring merchant bank 20, payment associationnetworks 30, or other institutions in the payment processing system onlyuse the token and/or other shielded user information to process thetransaction. Only the issuing financial institution 40 has the actualaccount number of the user 202.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4 areonly example embodiments of the invention, and as such it should beunderstood that combinations of these embodiments, or other embodimentsnot specifically described herein may be utilized in order to processtransactions between a user 202 and merchant 10 using one or more tokensas a substitute for user account numbers or other user accountinformation, such that the merchant 10, or other institutions in thepayment processing system do not have access to the actual user accountsor account information.

As briefly discussed above, if the issuing financial institution 40creates the digital wallet not only does the issuing financialinstitution 40 receive transaction information along the normalprocessing channels, but the financial institution 50 may also receiveadditional transaction information from the user 202 through the digitalwallet using the application program interfaces (APIs) or otherapplications created for the digital wallet. For example, geographiclocation information of the user 202, dates and times, productinformation, merchant information, or any other information may betransmitted to the issuing financial institution 40 through the APIs orother applications to the extent that this information is not alreadyprovided through the normal transaction processing channels. Thisadditional transaction information may assist in determining if thetransactions meet or violate limits associated with the tokens, useraccounts, digital wallets, or the like.

Alternatively, if the merchant 10 or another institution, other than theissuing financial institution 40, provides the digital wallet to theuser 202, the issuing financial institution 40 may not receive all thetransaction information from the traditional transaction processingchannels or from the digital wallet. As such, the issuing financialinstitution 40 may have to receive additional transaction informationfrom another application associated with the user 202 and compare thetransaction information received through the traditional channels inorder to associate the additional information with the transaction. Inother embodiments, the issuing financial institutions 40 may havepartnerships with the merchants 10 or other institutions to receiveadditional transaction information from the digital wallets provided bythe merchants or other institutions when the users 2 enter intotransactions using the digital wallets.

Moreover, when there is communication between the digital wallets of theusers 2 and the issuing financial institution 40 or another institution,transactions in which the user 202 may enter may be pre-authorized(e.g., pre-qualified) to determine what accounts (e.g., tokens) may beused to complete the transaction, without having to arbitrarily choosean account for the transaction. In the case when there are multipledigital wallets or multiple accounts, the account that is pre-authorizedor the account that provides the best rewards may be automaticallychosen to complete the transactions.

Additional embodiments of the invention will now be described in furtherdetail in order to provide additional concepts and examples related tohow tokens may be utilized in these illustrated token system processes 1or in other token system processes not specifically described in FIGS. 2through 4.

In some embodiments the system 208 presents an interface for managingdigital wallets on the user system 204 via the user application 222. Theinterface may present one or more digital wallets separately or in anintegrated manner. Each of the digital wallets may have at least oneassociated payment credential (e.g., tokens). The tokens, as shown inFIGS. 2 through 4, are sorted into different digital wallets. Also shownis a comprehensive listing of the tokens available for usage, andtherefore, available for association and/or authentication into one ormore digital wallets. In some embodiments, the interface may be managedand controlled by user application 222 on the user device. In someembodiments, the interface maybe managed and controlled by the systemserver 208, transmitting instructions to the application stored on theuser device. In some embodiments, the user application 222 maycontinuously run in the background of the user system or user device 204and may automatically initiate presentation of the interface in responseto a trigger event comprising purchases, usage of tokens by an indirectuser, receiving notifications/signals from a point of sale device,proximity to a point of sale device, modification of parametersassociated with one or more tokens and the like. In some embodiments,the user 202 may initiate the presentation of the interface.

According to embodiments of the invention, during an online bankingsession, a customer or user 202 may use an interface to select whichpayment credentials (cards (credit/debit), tokens etc.) are entered intowhich digital wallets (e.g., Google, PayPal, Apple Pay etc.). In someinstances, the user 202 is given an opportunity to set limits for eachwallet, and in some cases, the user 202 is provided an opportunity toset timeframe limits. The user 202 may use an interface for visibilityinto everywhere a payment credential (e.g., credit/debit card) is tiedfor payment, recurring or otherwise. In a digital wallet, the user 202may provide recurring payment information, and “push-button billpayenrollment”.

In some embodiments, the wallets may be owned and/or operated by one ormore entities. In some embodiments, the wallets and/or the associatedtokens may be stored at different locations. For example the wallet andone or more associated tokens may be stored on the cloud or on a serverremote from the user device.

In some embodiments, the user 202 may be associated with one or moredigital wallets, the wallets being owned and/or operated by differententities and/or the wallets being stored at different locations. In thisregard the system (for example, the remote server 402 or the application440) may automatically determine one or more wallets associated with theuser based on retrieving information from one or more user devices,analyzing transaction history of the user, retrieving financial accountactivity, analyzing social media updates of the user, analyzing userinformation (for example, contact information) and financial informationof the user and the like. In some embodiments, information associatedwith the wallets, for example authorization credentials, walletidentifiers and the like may be requested from the user at least for afirst time, typically prior to execution of transactions. In someembodiments the interface is presented on the user system 204 byextracting information associated with the wallets and their tokens fromtheir individual locations and presenting the wallets on a singleinterface.

In some embodiments, the integrated interface may be presented to theuser in response to receiving authentication credentials from the user.In some embodiments the user may be authenticated by receiving andanalyzing biometric information of the user, for example, fingerprintscans, iris recognition, retina scans, facial recognition, handgeometry, voice recognition and the like. In some embodiments the usermay be authenticated based on behavioral characteristics like deviceusage patterns, typing rhythm, gait, gestures, heart rate and othercharacteristics. In some embodiments the user may be authenticated basedon pre-authenticated auxiliary devices, for example a user in continuedpossession of a pre-authenticated auxiliary device (for example, awearable device) in operative communication with the user device may beauthenticated based on continued monitoring of the user device and theauxiliary device. In some embodiments the user may be authenticatedbased on received userID and passwords. In some embodiments each of theauthentication methods described above may be assigned an authorizationlevel, and the authentication methods may be user singularly or incombination to achieve a desired level of authorization. Therefore, theuser may be provided access to one or more wallets though an integratedinterface in a secure and convenient manner. For example, a user may beassociated with: a first wallet stored on a cloud associated with afirst entity, a second wallet stored on a remote server associated witha second entity and a third wallet associated with a third entity storedin a secure element of an auxiliary user device. The system may presentan integrated interface that enables the user to access and modify thepayment credentials or tokens associated with the wallets withoutrequiring the user to access the payment credentials or tokens thoroughconventional channels separately and without requiring the user toprovide authentication credentials separately for each channel. In thisregard the system may communicate with and/or establish operativecommunication channels between the user device, the auxiliary userdevice, the cloud associated with the first entity, the serversassociated with the second entity and other third party systems.

In such a case, the payment credential has been “authenticated for use”in association with the digital wallet such that the user may select thedigital wallet for performing a transaction using the associated paymentcredential or the system may automatically determine a suitable digitalwallet when the user selects the payment credential for a transaction.In some embodiments, the system may require one or more authenticationsteps with the financial institution that issued the payment credentialor the system may utilize the authentication the user provided for thepresentation of the interface to authenticate the transaction. In someembodiments the system may seek confirmation from the user beforeexecuting the transaction with the appropriate payment credential andthe suitable wallet. The user may provide confirmation in the form ofvoice commands, swipe/touch patterns on the screen of the user device,selection of one or more options presented on the interface, gestures,authentication means described previously, movement/orientation of theuser device, or any other suitable means of indication. As discussed infurther detail below, a payment credential may be authenticated for usewith a digital wallet but may be de-selected for use with the digitalwallet by the user (i.e., it may not be associated with the digitalwallet), in which case, the user would not be allowed by the system touse the payment credential in a transaction with the digital walletregardless of the fact that it has been authenticated for use with thedigital wallet. In such a case, the user can use the interface toassociate the already authenticated payment credential with the digitalwallet and then perform the desired transaction in real time. In thisregard the system may establish an operative communication channel withthe entity systems, owning/operating the digital wallet and the locationof storage of the payment credential, to extract information associatedwith the payment credential for display on the integrated interface andto modify one or more parameters associated with the payment credential,either at the storage location of the payment credential, at the entitysystems or on the user device, based on received user input. In someembodiments, this may trigger one or more necessary steps fulfilled bythe system either automatically or by seeking additional input from theuser, such as authentication of the selected payment credential with thefinancial institution that issued the payment credential and/orauthentication or other verification with the entity thatmaintains/issues/facilitates the digital wallet.

The processes flows described below may be performed by the systemserver 208, the merchant system 206, 3^(rd) party systems like otherfinancial institution systems associated with the merchant accounts,payment routing associations and the like (not illustrated), the usersystem 204, either entirely or partially. For example, the system 208,may establish operative communication channels with one or more devicesof the user system the user system 204 (for example, user mobile device,wearable device, auxiliary device, computing devices and the like), themerchant system 206, and the third party systems and/or between one ormore of the above systems the like, such that the system 208 may performnon-intrusive geo-location determination may communicating with theother systems. In some embodiments, the operative communication channelsestablished by the system 208 enables the other systems to perform oneor more steps of non-intrusive geo-location determination that thesystems may otherwise not be configured to perform or not be capable ofexecution. For example, the system may provide an improvement intechnology by establishing a new communication channel between the usersystem 204 and the merchant system 206, such that the user system 204may retrieve merchant credentials from the merchant system 206 (datastorage 241, point of sale terminal for in-store transactions,identification credentials of the payment portal for onlinetransactions) to enable the user to determine the authorization/validityof the merchant and/or the security of the payment portal prior toentering into a transaction either independently or in conjunction withthe system 208. In this regard, the system may receive userauthentication credentials for a first time and enable the user toaccess other systems through the established communication channelswithout requiring the user to access the systems thorough conventionalchannels separately and without requiring the user to provideauthentication credentials separately for each channel.

In some embodiments the user may be authenticated based on behavioralcharacteristics like device usage patterns, typing rhythm, gait,gestures, heart rate and other characteristics. In some embodiments theuser may be authenticated based on pre-authenticated auxiliary devices,for example a user in continued possession of a pre-authenticatedauxiliary device (for example, a wearable device) in operativecommunication with the user device may be authenticated based oncontinued monitoring of the user device and the auxiliary device. Insome embodiments the user may be authenticated based on received userIDand passwords. In some embodiments each of the authentication methodsdescribed above may be assigned an authorization level, and theauthentication methods may be user singularly or in combination toachieve a desired level of authorization. In this regard the system 208may communicate with and/or establish operative communication channelsbetween the user device, the auxiliary user device, the cloud associatedwith the first entity, the servers associated with the second entity,the merchant systems and other third party systems, by providingrequired credentials to the other systems for enabling access, based onat least the received authentication credentials of the user and/or thelocation of the user. In this regard the system 208 may only temporarilystore relevant information associated with the user payment credentialsor the merchants on the user device, thereby preserving the security ofthe data and with minimal memory requirements. In some embodiments, thesystem may store some or all of the in a secure memory location eitheron the user device and/or on a memory device associated with the system208 so that the user may perform at least part of the transactions bothonline and offline. Typically the secure memory location on the userdevice is an isolated location, with very limited interaction with therest of the operating system, with a high required level ofauthorization for access. In some embodiments, the secure memorylocation may be a secure element comprising an integrated circuit chipof the user device (for example the Subscriber Identification Module(SIM) card or an Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) of aphone or a tablet device) or a separate isolated section of the userdevice's memory.

Referring now to FIG. 5, illustrating a high level process flow 500 fornon-intrusive geo location determination associated with transactionauthorization in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Theprocess flow 500 includes, as represented by block 530, receivinginformation regarding at least one transaction associated with a user.In some embodiments the system, for example, the system 208 of thesystem environment 200, receives information regarding at least onetransaction in real time. In this regard the system may receiveinformation regarding at least one transaction that the user initiatesor seeks to initiate, at least one transaction that the user in in theprocess of executing and/or at least one transaction that the user hascompleted. For example, the system may receive an indication that theuser wishes to initiate at least one transaction with one or moremerchants, as illustrated by block 510. In this regard, in someembodiments, the system may receive the indication from the user, a userdevice, financial institutions owning and/or operating one or more useraccounts and/or payment instruments associated with one or more useraccounts, merchants associated with the at least one transaction and/orentities associated with merchant accounts.

In some embodiments the system may receive the information regarding oneor more transactions and/or perform the one or more subsequent steps ofthe process flow 500 during the initiation of the transaction. In thisinstance, the non-intrusive geo location determination is associatedwith authenticating the user, authorizing the user to perform the atleast one transaction, validating the payment credentials of the user,approving the at least one transaction and/or authorizing thetransactions themselves based on at least authenticating the merchant.In other embodiments, in addition to or separately from the previousembodiments, the system may receive the information regarding the atleast one transaction and/or perform one or more subsequent steps of theprocess flow 500 during the execution of the transaction, for example inthe time period between the initiation and completion of the at leastone transaction by the user. Completion of the at least one transaction,typically includes in some embodiments, completion or termination of thetransaction from the user's perspective. For example, in someembodiments, a transaction is complete when at least the user isauthenticated, the payment credentials are verified and the transactionis authorized and/or approved, after which the user considers thetransaction complete and may leave the store, log off the merchant'swebsite/payment portal, terminate the telephone call and the like. Asanother example, completion of the at least one transaction, in someembodiments, comprises the merchant submitting the relevant informationassociated with the at least one transaction to a financialinstitution/entity for settlement, placing the one or more of the atleast one transaction in a pending transaction queue for settlement andthe like. In some embodiments, the transactions are temporarilyauthorized in the completion stage and are later routed for furtherprocessing and settlement.

In some embodiments, the system may receive the information regardingthe at least one transaction and/or perform the subsequent steps of theprocess flow 500 after the completion of the transaction, for example,in the time period between the completion of the at least onetransaction by the user and the settlement of the at least onetransaction at a predetermined future settlement date, in combinationwith or distinctly from the previous embodiments. The predeterminedfuture settlement date may comprise settlement of the transactions bythe user's financial institution, by the merchant or a financialinstitution associated with the merchant, debiting of the user accountor posting payments after prior temporary authorization, transmittingfunds associated with the at least one transaction to themerchant/merchant account and the like. For example, the system mayretrieve the at least one transaction from the transaction historyassociated with the user, as illustrated by block 520.

The transaction history may comprise information associated with one ormore completed transactions that are in the process of being settled,one or more pending transactions, one or more settled transactions, oneor more posted transactions or a combination of the above. In thisregard, the transaction history may comprise one or more of: userinformation (financial instruments used in the transaction, financialaccounts of the user, prior transactions of the user and the like),location of the transaction (based on the received location of the user,location of the merchant or both), transaction amounts, type oftransaction (online, in person or by phone), merchant associated withthe at least one transaction (merchant name, merchant category codes andthe like), time and date of the at least one transaction (time stampsassociated with the initiation of the transaction, completion of thetransaction, posting and/or settlement of the transaction), status ofthe transaction (posted, pending, completed, in the process ofsettlement and the like), one or more products/services associated withthe transactions (product name, product category code), and the like. Inthis regard, in some embodiments, the system may receive informationassociated with one or more transaction and/or transaction history ofthe user/merchant from the user, a user device, financial institutionsowning and/or operating one or more user accounts or payment instrumentsassociated with one or more user accounts, merchants associated with theat least one transaction and/or entities associated with merchantaccounts. In some embodiments, the system may perform non-intrusive geolocation determination after the completion of the transaction and priorto the predetermined future settlement date to validate the at least onetransaction, to allow/authorize the at least one transaction for furtherprocessing and settlement, to enable posting of the at least onetransaction and the like. In some embodiments, the system may performnon-intrusive geo location determination after the settlement of the atleast one transaction to analyze the transaction parameters/patterns ofthe merchant/the user, to authorize or validate one or more futuretransactions of the user, to ensure that the transactions were carriedout by the authorized user and the like while maintaining the privacyand security of the user's personal data.

Next, as illustrated by block 540, the system determines a transactionlocation associated the at least one transaction. In this regard, thesystem analyses the transaction information received at block 530 todetermine the transaction location. For example, the system maydetermine the transaction location based on the location of the point oftransaction terminal at which the user executes a transaction. In thisregard the merchant may have multiple locations, each location havingone or more transaction terminals, therefore, the system may compare areceived transaction terminal identifier against a merchant database ofpoint of transaction terminals and identify the merchant location. Thedatabase may be searchable and retrievable database comprisingtransaction terminal identifiers and the corresponding merchant facilitylocation, type of transactions allowed (for example, credit cardtransactions, debit card transactions, digital wallet payments, token orpayment credentials, card providers accepted and the like) and otherparameters. As another example, the location of in-store transactionsmay be determined based on the merchant associated with the transaction.In this regard the system may receive the merchant identifier anddetermine the transaction location based on analyzing a plurality offacility locations of the merchant. In some embodiments, for onlinetransactions, the merchant may compare the location of the user devicewith the billing address of the user before authorizing thetransactions. In this regard the merchant or an associated entity maydetermine the user device location based on the Internet Protocoladdress (IP address) of the device, network triangulation of the callreceived from the device for purchases made by phone, informationreceived from a SIM card associated with the device, from informationreceived from the network providing entity and the like. In turn, thesystem may receive this location information from the merchant anddesignate the location as the transaction location.

In some embodiments, the determined transaction location may be asspecific/precise or as broad or expansive as the user desires or grantspermission for. In some embodiments a suitable precision of thedetermined transaction location is chosen based of the level ofauthentication desired. The desired level of authentication may bedetermined by the user, by the system, by the merchant or any otherparticipating entity. Examples of broad/expansive transaction locations,with lower relative precision, may comprise a country, a state, a cityassociated with the at least one transaction and the like. Examples ofspecific/narrow transaction locations may comprise a street address, azip code associated with the transaction and the like. In someembodiments, the system determines the transaction location based onanalyzing the retrieved transaction information (for example,transaction information associated with the user transaction history,information received from the merchant during initiation and/orcompletion of the at least one transaction). In some embodiments, thesystem may determine the transaction location in real time based oninformation received from the user or the merchant or an associatedentity during initiation of at least one transaction, before/aftercompletion of the at least one transaction to determine the validity ofthe transaction to allow the transaction to be completed/processed. Insome embodiments, the may determine the transaction location of the atleast one transaction that are in the process of being settled or atleast one transaction that have been settled.

In some embodiments, the system may also determine a transaction dateand a transaction time associated with the at least one transaction, asillustrated by block 550. The system may conduct the step 550 inconjunction with the previous steps or in any suitable order. Typicallythe transaction location is correlated with the transaction time anddate. In some embodiments, the transaction date and time is received asa part of the transaction information associated with the at least onetransaction. In some embodiments, the transaction time is determinedfrom time stamps associated with the initiation of the transactionand/or completion of the transaction received in real time or after thecompletion of the transaction or during posting/settlement of the atleast one transaction (for example, from the user transaction history).In some embodiments, the system timestamps the requests for initiation,completion and/or settlement of the at least one transaction as and whenthey are received at the system, while in other embodiments thetransaction requests are time stamped by the merchant system, the usersystem or another associated third party system.

Next, the system may determine at least one user device associated withthe transaction date and the transaction time, as illustrated by block560. The at least one user device may be a user device utilized to atleast partially conduct the at least one transaction or another userdevice not associated with the at least one transaction. For instance,the system may analyze the received transaction information anddetermine that the user initiated the at least one transaction with apayment credential/token from the digital wallet of the user's mobilephone. In this regard, the system may determine the user's mobile deviceto be the at least one user device. The user device may be a mobilephone, a smart phone, a wearable device, a computer, a personal digitalassistant or another computing device. In some embodiments, the systemmay determine at least one user device based on analyzing transactionhistory of the user. For example, the system may determine that the userchecked an account balance using a wearable device, based on analyzingthe transaction history of the user. In some embodiments, for example ininstances where the transaction information is received after thecompletion of the transaction, the system may determine the at least oneuser device by determining user's transactional and social mediaactivity at or around the transaction date and time and determine the atleast one user device to be the device used for the activities. Asanother example, the user may register one or more user devices. In someembodiments the user devices may have one or more applicationsrunning/installed on them. In this instance the system may determine theat least one user device based on the installation, usage or datareceived from the application. The one or more applications may be afinancial institution application operated by/connected to the system, amerchant application, an application/widget or software inherent to thedevice or one or more third party applications. Typically, the one ormore applications may be configured to, at least in part, aid in thenon-intrusive geo location determination. The one or more applicationsmay be exclusive to non-intrusive geo location determination functionsor may perform these functions in addition to others. In someembodiments, the one or more applications configured for non-intrusivegeo location determination are operatively connected to the GlobalPositioning Systems (GPS), other location determining systems, sensorsmonitoring the parameters of the user device, sensors monitoring thephysical parameters of the user and the like, associated with the atleast one user device.

In some embodiments, the one or more applications act as a barrierbetween the location determination systems and the like of the userdevice and other applications and systems. The one or more applicationsmay restrict access to location information comprising current locationinformation of the device/the user, travel history and the like toprotect the user's personal information and privacy. In this regard, theapplication may store the location information received from thelocation determining systems in an isolated, secure portion of a memoryof the user device or a secure element of the user device in real time,such that the stored location information is accessible only be theapplication. In some embodiments, the application transmits controlinstructions to the location determining system of the user device inreal time to determine the current location. In some embodiments, thesystem is not granted direct access to the location information storedon the user device, but may receive indications about user location byquerying the one or more applications. In some embodiments, the one ormore applications require authentication/authorization credentials oruser permissions from the system, applications or other external systemsto retrieve location data from the isolated portion of the memory. Insome embodiments the one or more applications may transmit responsesonly in the form of affirming or negating a query, without transmittingthe actual location information, for example GPS coordinates to furtherenhance the privacy of the user.

In some embodiments, the one or more existing applications may not beconfigured to perform non-intrusive geo location determination. In thisregard, the system may access the application, and transmit controlsignals and relevant instructions to make the one or more applicationscompatible for non-intrusive geo location determination. For example,the system may establish communication channels between the locationdetermining system of the user device and the existing applications andthe by providing the required authorization credentials. Furthermore,the system may enable creation of an isolated memory location forstorage of location information. In other embodiments, the system mayautomatically initiate installation of one or more new applicationsconfigured to perform non-intrusive geo location determination (forexample, receive and decode one or more polar queries and transmitanswers in the affirmative or in the negative based on retrievinglocation information from location determining systems of the userdevice). In this regard, the system may automatically install or seekpermission from the user to install the one or more applications on theuser device. These applications may function similar to the one or moreapplications described above. In some embodiments, the application fornon-intrusive geo location determination may be running in thebackground on the user device. The system may establish a communicationchannel with the user device transmit control instructions via thechannel to cause the application to be automatically presented to theuser via an interface, in response to the transmission of one or morequeries to determine the user location.

In some embodiments the system may determine that the user is associatedwith a plurality of user devices, with only a portion of the userdevices comprising the one or more applications configured fornon-intrusive location determination. The system may then determine oneor more of the remaining portion of the user devices are capable ofsupporting the one or more applications and seek to install the one ormore applications on the devices. While some user devices like wearabledevices may not be compatible with the one or more applications,nevertheless, in some embodiments, the system may link all the userdevices to each other such that user possession/authentication of one ormore devices can be determined based on the linking. For example, thesystem may link a wearable device with a user mobile phone with the oneor more applications installed, and recognize that the userauthenticated themselves for a first time with the wearable device byproviding biometric authentication, the system may then verify that theuser device is in proximity of a user adorned wearable device todetermine authentication of the user. As another example, the system maydetermine that the user has authenticated via a passcode on one deviceand may authenticate the user on another linked device based on thereceived passcode and determining that the user has been in continuedpossession of the devices. As another example, the user may conduct atleast one transaction comprising online purchases on a computing device,without location determination capability. However, the system maydetermine that an auxiliary user device, for example, a wearable fitnessmonitoring device, linked to the user device has this capability. Then,the system may query the auxiliary device to determine user locationbased on determining that the auxiliary device was in the possession ofthe user at the transaction time and/or that the devices were paired orlinked at the transaction time. Therefore, in some embodiments the atleast one user device may be the device used to initiate the at leastone transaction, while in other embodiments, the at least one userdevice may be another device linked to the device used toinitiate/perform the at least one transaction or a device in the user'spossession at the time of the transaction. In some embodiments, thesystem may determine a plurality of user devices and then choose optimaluser devices based on determination of one or more factors comprisingfrequency of use, probability of being in the user's possession,received user preference, type of transaction and the like.

In some embodiments the one or more applications may transmit responsesonly in the form of affirming or negating a query, without transmittingthe actual location information, for example GPS coordinates to furtherenhance the privacy of the user. Therefore, the system may formulate oneor more queries related to the at least one transaction, such that theone or more queries can be answered in the affirmative or in thenegative, as illustrated by block 610 associated with high levelprocesses flow for non-intrusive geo location determination andtransaction authorization illustrated in FIG. 6. Typically the one ormore queries are configured to determine if the user was at thetransaction location at or around the transaction time. In someembodiments the system may determine a transaction time intervalspanning a predetermined time before and/or after the transaction time(for example, 10 minutes, 1 hour or any other suitable predeterminedtime estimated based on the analyzing the transaction information) anddetermine if the user was at the transaction location during the timeinterval. In some embodiments, the one or more queries are polarquestions or logic queries with two possible dichotomous answers. Thesystem may then transmit a request to the at least one user device todetermine a user location, wherein the request comprises the one or morequeries at block 620. In some embodiments the system may transmit therequest to the one or more applications configured for non-intrusive geolocation determination. In some embodiments, the request comprising theone or more queries may be encrypted/encoded by the system to transformthe data into a new format such that only the designated application onthe user device may comprise the decryption key or may be able todecrypt/decode the request for further processing, thereby improving thesecurity of the user's personal information. The system may then receivea response from the at least one user device, wherein the responsecomprises answers to the one or more questions in the affirmative or inthe negative, at block 630. In some embodiments, the application storedon the user device may transmit the response in an encrypted/encodedformat achieved by transformation of data such that only the system orauthorized entities can decrypt the response. The working of the systemand the one or more applications in the steps 610 through 630 fornon-intrusive geo location determination is described in further detailbelow.

As an example scenario, the system or another application within theuser device or another external system may seek to determine either acurrent or previous location of the user device and hence the locationof the user and transmit a query to the one or more applicationsconfigured for non-intrusive geo location determination. The one or moreapplications may access the stored location information and determineeither a current or previous location of the device, for example, City Aor GPS coordinates 1. Continuing with the example, however, the one ormore applications typically would not transmit information that the useris at City A or at certain specific coordinates. Instead the one or moreapplications may transmit a response to the query in the form ofaffirming or negating the query: (a) the query, “Is the user at City B?”or “City B” would result in the one or more applications transmitting“No” or “negative” or “false” (or a binary equivalent, or anothersimilar polar response) as an answer while (b) the query, “Was the userat City A at a time period T?” or “City A at time T” would result in theone or more applications transmitting “Yes” or “affirmative” or “true”(or a binary equivalent, or another similar polar response). Since theone or more applications merely affirm the existing information with thequerying applications/systems, typically only those queryingapplications/systems that already have at least a portion of or anindication regarding the user's location data (received from the user,or received from at least one transaction associated with the user andthe like) can confirm the information. Therefore, the invention preventsunsolicited and unwanted location gathering by systems that the user isnot affiliated with or the systems that did not recently enter intotransactions with the user and prevents location determination/trackingwithout the user's permission. In some embodiments, the system mayformulate the one or more queries in progressively decreasing order ofgeo-fencing area. For example, the system may first determine the userlocation determining a country, then a state and subsequently a zipcode. However, in other embodiments, the system may formulate queriescomprising random or the smallest geo-fencing area. For instance, thesystem may receive the transaction location comprising a town G and azip code L. The system may then formulate a query to determine if theuser was within the zip code L at the transaction time or choose aportion of the transaction location address randomly. As anotherexample, the system may receive a transaction location comprising cityP. The system may determine that one or more cities P are associatedwith a country R at different states of country R and transmit a polarquery to determine if the user was in the country R at the time of thetransaction. The system may transmit further queries to determine theparticular city P and the state associated with the transaction afterthe application on the user device confirms that the user is/was in thecountry R at the time of the transaction. If the system receives theresponse that the user is/was not in the country R, the system maydetermine that the user location is not the same as the transactionlocation and initiate other forms of validity checks, without queryingeach of the one of more cities in country R, thereby saving processingtime. Therefore, in some embodiments, the subsequent queries areformulated based on the received response to the previous queries.

In some embodiments, the system may enable the user to specify,collectively or individually, location information precision, queryfrequency or number of query sessions, number of queries per session,time frame of validity of the permission and the like in real time, orat a time prior to the query session. For example, the user may specifyvia the one or more applications, that a particular system B or acertain group of systems are permitted to initiate a maximum of fourquery sessions in a day, with each query session having at most 3questions with this permission being valid for two days. For example,the user may specify that a particular system C or a certain group ofsystems may receive the location information up to a precision of astreet address or only up to the precision of a city/state or a country.As another example, the user may specify that the user device mayrespond to queries only within one hour after initiation of thetransaction using one or more payment credentials or paymentinstruments.

In the current system, a user device for example, a smartphone or amobile device, may have multiple applications accessing the locationinformation generated by the location determining systems of the userdevice. For example, multiple applications may simply receive theaccurate location information of the user device, right from the time ofinstallation. The location information may be used for advertising,marketing and other purposes and shared with external entities with orwithout the permission of the user. This personal data of the user istransferred between multiple entities and maintaining the security ofthe data may no longer be feasible. The user typically simply cannotcontrol the precision and frequency of the location information beingshared with the applications. While the user may deactivate the locationdetermining systems or turn off the user device, this would inhibit theuser from performing transactions with the user device, therebyprecluding the user from performing at least one transaction in a fastand convenient manner. For example, although turning off the locationdetermining systems may, in some measure, aid the user by preventingunsolicited location inquiries or advertising information, this wouldalso prevent the user from conducting financial transactions,specifically those that require the user location to authenticate theuser and/authorize the transaction quickly and conveniently, prevent theuser from using navigation systems and the like and therefore impede thefunctioning of the user and/or the device.

This invention is necessarily rooted in computer networks to solve atechnical problem specifically arising in the realm of computernetworks, transaction authentication and the use of mobile user devices.The present invention provides a solution to the problem ofauthenticating the user and enabling the user to perform/process atleast one transaction by utilizing the user location without invadingthe user's privacy and while maintaining the security of the user'spersonal data. The present invention is advantageous since it protectsthe user's personal data and maintains the privacy of the user, whilestill allowing the user to conduct at least one transaction and beauthenticated based on the user location.

Next at block 640, the system may determine the validity of the at leastone transaction based on, at least in part, determining that the userlocation is the same as the transaction location. In this regard thesystem may analyze the response from the user device to determine if theuser location is the same or proximate to the transaction location anddesignate a transaction to be valid based on the congruence/coincidenceof the locations. If the system determines that the user location is notthe same as the transaction location, the system may determine that theat least one transaction are not valid and further initiate other formsof validity checks. In the embodiments in which the system receivesinformation regarding at least one transaction in real time, for examplein the time period after the initiation of the transaction and beforethe completion of the transaction, the system may authorize and/or allowthe at least one transaction based on at least determining that thetransactions are valid and that the user location is same as thetransaction location, at block 650. In this regard, the system mayenable the at least one transaction to be processed and completed. Insome embodiments, the system may enable the processing of the at leastone transaction at a predetermined future settlement date based ondetermining the validity of the transactions, as illustrated by block660. In this regard, the system may verify the congruence of the userlocation with the transaction location prior to settlement/posting ofthe at least one transaction, for increased confidence in thetransactions for quicker processing and/or processing with fewer rules.

In some embodiments, the system enables the user to determine thevalidity of at least one transaction that are pending and beingprocessed or that have been settled and/or posted. For example, the usermay review the user's pending transactions or the user's transactionhistory displayed on a user device. The user may not recollect or moretransactions or may seek to confirm the validity the at least onetransaction. In this regard the system may retrieve informationassociated with the at least one transaction and perform one or moresteps of process flows 500 and 600 to determine the validity of the atleast one transaction. The system may then transmit confirmation of thevalidity of the at least one transaction to the user device. As anotherexample, the user may request the confirmation of one or moretransactions associated with a credit card assigned to a secondary user(for example, the user's child) for a predetermined time period. Thesystem may perform one or more steps of process flows 500 and 600 todetermine the validity of the one or more transactions and initiate thedisplay of a map, augmented with a route comprising the locations andtimes of the transactions executed by the secondary user. In this regardthe system may retrieve the map from a database or a third party systembased on determining the city, locality and the like from thetransaction information. The system may then query the user deviceassociated with the secondary user and verify whether the transactionlocation is same as the secondary user location. The system may thenformulate a route comprising determined secondary user locations at thedate and times of the one or more transactions.

Referring now to FIG. 7, illustrating a high level process flow 700 fortransaction authorization based on user location and/or the transactionamount in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The processflow 700 includes, as represented by block 710, establishing anoperative communication link with a point of sale terminal associatedwith a merchant. In this regard, in some embodiments, the system is inoperative communication with the point of sale terminal, a transactionterminal or any device through which the user seeks to perform atransaction by providing requisite authentication credentials. In someembodiments, the system establishes communication with the point of saleterminal associated with a merchant through a network either directly orvia merchant systems or via user devices. In some embodiments, the userdevice establishes communication with the transaction terminal throughnear field communication or by any other suitable means. In theembodiments in which the user seeks to initiate an online transaction,the system establishes communication with the user device, for examplethe user's computing device or mobile device. In some embodiments,establishing an operative communication link comprises enabling accessto at least a portion of the databases associated with the point of saleterminal, the merchant system or the user device. In some embodiments,the secure communication link enables the system to transmit controlsignals, either directly or via the user device, that instruct the pointof sale terminal to perform one or more functions.

Next, as illustrated by block 720, the system may receive an indicationthat the user has initiated a transaction with a payment credential,wherein the payment credential is stored in a mobile wallet associatedwith the user. In some embodiments, the system receives an indicationthat the user initiated a transaction at the point of sale terminal, inreal time, either from a user device, a point of sale terminal or amerchant system associated with the transaction. In some embodiments,the system receives the indication via the established secure operativecommunication channel. For example, the system may receive an indicationthat the user initiated a transaction by utilizing a payment credentialassociated with a digital wallet either for online or in storetransaction. In some embodiments receiving an indication may comprisereceiving a request for transaction authorization or verification ofauthentication credentials of the user, either from the digital walletapplication or from the merchant system. In some embodiments, receivingthe indication of a transaction may be substantially similar to theembodiments described in block 510. In conjunction with the above stepor subsequently, at block 730, the system may receive transactioninformation associated with the initiated transaction. The transactioninformation may be received from the point of sale terminal, the userdevice, the merchant systems, third party payment networks or any othersuitable means.

In some embodiments, the transaction information comprises one or moreparameters associated with the initiated transaction comprising at leasta geographic location, a merchant, a merchant category code, a productcode, a transaction amount, a method of payment and the like. In someembodiments, the geographic location may comprise the location of theuser, the location of the merchant/the point of sale terminal associatedwith the merchant and the like. Typically, in some embodiments, thesystem receives the transaction location as a part of the transactioninformation. However, in other embodiments the system may communicatewith the merchant systems, the user device and other third party systemsto determine the transaction location. In some embodiments, the systemmay determine the transaction location based on the location of the userdevice with the digital wallet used to initiate the transaction. Forexample, the system may determine the location of the user device basedon non-intrusive location determination described above, globalpositioning systems of the user device, communication between the userdevice and one or more beacon/transmitter devices, social media updatesof the user, analyzing the audio/video feeds of the user device and thelike, based on receiving permissions from the user. In some embodiments,the system may receive or determine the method of payment from thetransaction information. The method of payment may comprise the digitalwallet, a user device, a payment credential, payment instrumentassociated with the payment credential (for example: credit/debit card),financial institution account associated with the payment credential andthe like, that the user utilized to initiate the transaction.

The process flow 700 may further comprise determining that the paymentcredential used to initiate the transaction is not applicable/optimal toprocess the initiated transaction based on at least the user locationand transaction information, as illustrated by block 740. In thisregard, the system may analyze the method of payment and one or moreparameters associated with the method of payment. In some embodiments,the system may compare the transaction information, for example, thetransaction location, to one or more limits associated with the digitalwallet, the payment credential, the payment instrument, the financialinstitution account, the user device and the like to determine whetherthe transaction information exceeds any of the one or more limits. Theone or more limits may be received from the user, determined by thesystem or received from the financial institution/entity associated withthe digital wallet/payment credential. For example, the system maydetermine that the user initiated a transaction using a paymentcredential at City A in State B. The system may determine that thepayment credential is not applicable for the transaction based ondetermining that the payment credential is designated for use only inState C. In some embodiments, the system may determine the paymentcredential utilized to initiate the transaction is not optimal for thetransaction. For example, the system may determine that the userinitiated a transaction with a first payment credential associated witha first payment instrument in a country A, different from the user'shome country B. While the first payment credential may be applicable incountry A, the system may determine a second payment credentialapplicable in Country A and may determine that a second paymentinstrument associated with the second payment credential provides abetter currency exchange rate in comparison with the first paymentinstrument. Therefore, in some embodiments, the system may determine asecond payment credential applicable for a transaction in response todetermining that a first payment credential used to initiate atransaction is not applicable for the transaction or based ondetermining that the second payment credential is more suitable for usefor the transaction in comparison with the first payment credential. Inthis regard, the one or more second payment credentials may providebetter benefits/characteristics in comparison to the first paymentcredential comprising better currency exchange rate, more loyaltypoints, lesser processing time and purchase offers or greater value orgreater interest to the user and the like. In some embodiments, thesystem may determine a plurality of second payment credentials bettersuited for the transaction in response to determining that the firstpayment credential used to initiate the transaction in not optimaland/or applicable for the transaction. In some embodiments, the systemmay determine the first payment credential and/or the one or more secondpayment credentials are applicable for a transactions and each provideone or more benefits/offers to the user. The system may rank the firstand the one or more second payment credentials based on analyzing eachof their benefits according to a predetermined criteria comprisingmonetary value, user preference, user transaction history and the like.

In some embodiments, the system may compare the transaction information,for example, the transaction location, to one or more limits associatedwith the digital wallet, the payment credential, the payment instrument,the financial institution account, the user device and the like todetermine whether the transaction information exceeds any of the one ormore limits. The one or more limits may be received from the user,determined by the system or received from the financialinstitution/entity associated with the digital wallet/paymentcredential. For example, the system may determine that the userinitiated a transaction using a payment credential for a transactionamount A. The system may determine that the payment credential is notapplicable for the transaction based on determining that the paymentcredential or the payment instrument/financial institution accountassociated with the payment instrument is designated for only formaximum transaction amount C, lesser than amount A, for a predeterminedtime period and frequency of use. For example, the system may determinethat the account/debit card associated with the payment credential orthe payment credential itself has a transaction amount limit M during aperiod of one week. The system may also determine a user specified limitindicating that the payment credential may be used for a maximum of 3times during a week. If a transaction amount exceeds the amount limit M,the system may determine that the payment credential is not applicablefor the transaction. If the transaction amount A is lesser that theamount limit M during a first transaction of the week, and the deductionof amount A from limit M would result in a balance lower than or closeto the minimum threshold balance associated with the credential/theaccount, the system may determine the that the payment credential is notoptimal for the transaction. In either scenarios, the system would seekto determine one or more payment credentials better suited for thetransaction as described previously.

Now referring to the high level process flow 800 illustrated in FIG. 8.The process flow 800 may be performed sequentially after or inconjunction with the process flow 700. The system may establish acommunication link with the user device associated with the user througha suitable wireless or wired network based on user permissions or byproviding requisite credentials. In some embodiments, the systemestablishes a communication link with the user device utilized toinitiate the transaction, while in other embodiments the systemestablishes a communication link with an auxiliary device connected tothe transaction user device or another other suitable device. Next, atblock 820, the system may initiate a presentation of a graphical userinterface for display on the user device, wherein the graphical userinterface comprises one or more payment credentials associated with theuser, applicable to process the transaction. In some embodiments thesystem initiates the presentation of the graphical user interface via adigital wallet application or another application stored on the userdevice. In this regard, the application may be running on the backgroundof the user device or may be turned off, and the system may transmitcontrol signals via a network, via text message (when the user isoffline) or by other means that cause the application to automaticallypresent the graphical user interface on the user device. In someembodiments, the system causes the point of sale terminal to transmitthe control instructions to the user device. In some embodiments, thesystem causes the presentation of the graphical user interface in realtime when the user is proximate a point of sale terminal, for example,based on communication between the device and the terminal, while inother embodiments, the system may automatically and in real time,initiate the presentation based on determining that the paymentcredential used to initiate the transaction is not optimal/applicable toprocess the transaction. In some embodiments, the system may present theonly a portion of the information associated with the graphical userinterface and seek authentication credentials from the user beforeproviding additional information. These authentication credentials maybe similar to those described elsewhere in the disclosure.

In some embodiments, presentation of the graphical user interfacecomprises presenting one or more payment credentials determined to beapplicable or optimal for the transaction. In this regard, the systemmay present the one or more payment credentials in a suitable order(value of benefits, prior use, frequency of use and the like), alongwith one or more benefits associated with the one or more paymentcredentials. Benefits for the transaction location may comprise, lessertransaction costs, discounts, offers on the transaction or one or moreproducts, better exchange rates, quicker transaction processing,increased loyalty points and the like. In some embodiments, the systemmay present a comparison of the benefits of the user initiatedtransaction credential and the one or more determined applicabletransaction credentials. In some embodiments, the interface is apersonalized interface with audio/visual elements unique to the user andthe user transaction history. In some embodiments, the system mayanalyze one or more digital wallets of the user, stored at one or morelocations to identify one or more payment credentials that would be moresuitable for the transaction. If the one or more payment credentials arestored on the user device utilized to initiate the transaction, thesystem may retrieve the payment credentials and the associatedinformation from the storage location and display at least a portion ofthe information on the graphical user interface. If the paymentcredentials are stored on external systems, i.e., devices/systems otherthan the transaction user device like other user devices, third partysystems, cloud networks and the like, the system may establishcommunication links with the storage locations, provide appropriateauthorization credentials and retrieve at least a portion of informationassociated with the payment credentials for display on the user device.In this regard the system may temporarily store the retrieved paymentcredentials on a secure location of the user device until the usercompletes the transaction. These steps may be conducted in parallel onone or more processors/one or more database storage locations associatedwith the system, to reduce processing time and improve efficiency. Insome embodiments, the system analyzes the financial accounts and paymentinstruments of the user and creates new payment credentials bettersuited for use at the particular location and may “push” or transmitthese payment credentials to the user's digital wallet by a shortmessage service (SMS), by near filed communication, by the operativecommunication channel via the network or any other suitable means, inreal time. These new payment credentials may be one-time or multiple usecredentials. For example, the system may analyze the user transactionhistory and determine that the user is associated with a credit card Athat is better suited for the user's current location or the transactionamount, based on retrieving offer information from the financialinstitution system associated with the credit card A. The system maycreate a new payment credential to enable the user to redeem one or moreoffers with the transaction, after determining that the user's digitalwallets do not comprise at least one payment credential associated withcredit card A. In some embodiments the system presents the interface viaan intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator to enable theuser to analyze and perform one or more actions associated with thedisplayed payment credentials.

Next, the system may receive the graphical user interface, a userselection of at least one payment credential from the one or morepayment credentials determined to be applicable to process thetransaction, as illustrated by block 830. The user selection may be inthe form of gestures, touch patterns, voice commands or any othersuitable means. In this regard, for tokens stored externally from thetransaction user device, the system may retrieve only a portion ofidentifying information associated with the payment credential, ornecessary information required to determine of the payment credential isoptimal/applicable for the transaction. The system may retrieve theremaining information necessary to process the transaction only afterreceiving the selection from the user, thereby saving memory andprocessing time. In some embodiments, receiving the user selection isaccompanied by receiving authentication credentials from the user. Thesystem then initiates authorization and/or processing of the transactionusing the at least one payment credential selection by the user, asillustrated by block 840. In this regard, the system may transmitcontrol signals to the user device to cause the user device to transmitthe at least one selected payment credential to the point of saleterminal or the merchant system, such that the transaction can continuewith the selected payment credential. In some embodiments, processing ofthe transaction further comprises applying one or more benefits oroffers associated with the transaction. The system may also transmit anotification to the point of sale terminal, the user system and/or themerchant system indicating that that the transaction has been processedusing the at least one selected payment credential, as illustrated byblock 850. In other embodiments the notification may comprise requestsfor additional information or credentials from the merchant and/or theuser required for the processing of the transaction. The notificationmay be through text messages, emails, phone calls, vibratory and/oraudible alerts or any other suitable notification means.

Referring now to FIG. 9, illustrating a high level process flow 900 fortransaction authorization based on user authentication in accordancewith some embodiments of the invention. The process flow 900 includes,as represented by block 910, establishing an operative communicationlink with a point of sale terminal associated with a merchant. In thisregard, in some embodiments, the system is in operative communicationwith the point of sale terminal, a transaction terminal, a user deviceor any device through which the user seeks to perform a transaction byproviding requisite authentication credentials. In some embodiments, thesystem establishes communication with the point of sale terminalassociated with a merchant through a network either directly or viamerchant systems or via user devices. In some embodiments, the userdevice establishes communication with the transaction terminal throughnear field communication or by any other suitable means. In theembodiments in which the user seeks to initiate an online transaction,the system establishes communication with the user device, for examplethe user's computing device or mobile device. In some embodiments,establishing an operative communication link comprises enabling accessto at least a portion of the databases associated with the point of saleterminal, the merchant system or the user device. In some embodiments,the secure communication link enables the system to transmit controlsignals, either directly or via the user device, that instruct the pointof sale terminal to perform one or more functions.

Next, as illustrated by block 920, the system may receive an indicationthat the user has initiated a transaction with a first paymentcredential/financial instrument, wherein the first payment credential isstored in a mobile wallet associated with the user. In some embodiments,the system receives an indication that the user initiated a transactionat the point of sale terminal, in real time, either from a user device,a point of sale terminal or a merchant system associated with thetransaction. In some embodiments, the system receives the indication viathe established secure operative communication channel. For example, thesystem may receive an indication that the user initiated a transactionby utilizing a first payment credential associated with a digital walleteither for online or in store transaction. In some embodiments receivingan indication may comprise receiving a request for transactionauthorization or verification of authentication credentials of the user,either from the digital wallet application or from the merchant system.In some embodiments, receiving the indication of a transaction may besubstantially similar to the embodiments described in block 510. Inconjunction with the above step or subsequently, at block 930, thesystem may receive transaction information associated with the initiatedtransaction. The transaction information may be received from the pointof sale terminal, the user device, the merchant systems, third partypayment networks or any other suitable means. In some embodiments, thetransaction information comprises one or more parameters associated withthe initiated transaction comprising at least a geographic location, amerchant, a merchant category code, a product code, a transactionamount, a method of payment, at least one method of authentication, typeof transaction (for example, online or in-store) and the like. In someembodiments, the system may receive or determine the method of paymentfrom the transaction information. The method of payment may comprise thedigital wallet, a user device, a payment credential, financialinstrument associated with the payment credential (for example:credit/debit card), financial institution account associated with thepayment credential and the like, that the user utilized to initiate thetransaction.

Next, as illustrated by block 940, the system determines a desired levelof authorization associated with the transaction, based on at least thetransaction information. In this regard, the system may analyze thetransaction information, the user or customer information (for example,contact information) and financial information of the user and/or thetransaction history of the user to determine the desired level ofauthorization required to permit and/or process the transaction, basedon one or more factors, singularly or in combination. For example, thesystem may determine that the transaction amount is above apredetermined threshold value, and hence determine a higher level ofdesired authorization. As another example, the system may analyze thetransaction information and determine a product type/merchant categoryidentifier (for example, groceries/retailer category A) and atransaction location (for example location B of the retailer/merchant)associated with the transaction. The system may further analyze theuser's transaction history and determine that the user frequentlypurchases groceries at the particular location of the merchant, andtherefore assign a lower level of desired authorization. In anotherinstance, the system may assign a higher level of desired authorizationfor online transactions in comparison with the desired level ofauthorization of in-store transactions for the same merchant. As anotherexample, transactions involving debit cards/savings accounts ortransaction credentials/financial instruments associated with debitcards/savings accounts may comprise a higher desired level ofauthorization in comparison with those associated with credit cards. Insome embodiments, a continuum of desired levels of authorization may beused to quantify (or dictate) the number or context in whichtransactions are permitted. For example, the continuum of desired levelsof authorization may range from zero authorization required to thehighest authorization required, with one or more progressiveauthorization levels in between. These desired authorization levels maybe identified by alpha numeric identifiers, pictorial identifiers, orany other suitable way. For example, level A may be the highest desiredauthorization level with levels B-D progressively leading to the lowestdesired authorization level E. Although illustrated as comprising fivelevels, the continuum may comprise more or fewer levels.

The system then determines at least one method of authenticationassociated with the first payment credential, wherein the at least onemethod of authentication comprises one or more authenticationcredentials provided by the user to authenticate the use of a paymentcredential or a financial instrument, as illustrated by block 950. Insome embodiments, the at least one method of authentication comprisesthe authentication method that the user utilized to authenticatethemselves to the transaction user device utilized to initiate thetransaction or an auxiliary device in communication with the transactionuser device, prior to, at the beginning of or during the transactionsession. In some embodiments, the at least one method of authenticationcomprises the method of authentication utilized by the user forauthentication to a point of sale terminal for an in-store transactionor to a merchant system for an online transaction. In some embodiments,the at least one method of authentication is the method ofauthentication utilized to enable access to/to enable one or morefunctions associated with the digital wallet application or anotherapplication of the user device. In some embodiments the user may beauthenticated by receiving and analyzing authentication credentialscomprising biometric information of the user, for example, fingerprintscans, iris recognition, retina scans, facial recognition, handgeometry, voice recognition and the like. In some embodiments the usermay be authenticated based on authentication credentials comprisingbehavioral characteristics like device usage patterns,movement/orientation of the user device, typing rhythm, gait, gestures,heart rate and other characteristics. In some embodiments the user maybe authenticated based on pre-authenticated auxiliary devices, forexample a user in continued possession of a pre-authenticated auxiliarydevice (for example, a wearable device) in operative communication withthe user device may be authenticated based on continued monitoring ofthe user device and the auxiliary device. In some embodiments the usermay be authenticated based on received userID and passcodes withpictorial and/or alphanumeric data. Further, in some situations,challenge questions, familiar pictures and/or phrases, biometrics, keyfob-based alphanumeric codes and/or collocation, authentication ofanother application such as a similar application or an “overarching”application, and/or the like may be used as methods of authentication.

In some embodiments each of the at least one authentication methoddescribed above may be assigned a user authorization level asillustrated by block 960, and the at least one authentication methodsmay be used singularly or in combination to achieve a desired level ofauthorization. The different methods of authentication may providediffering degrees of confidence regarding the authentication using suchtypes and thus the different methods of authentication may be associatedwith different user authorization levels. For example, if a username byitself is used for a first user authentication, and a username alongwith a password is used for a second authentication, then the secondauthentication should provide a higher level of authorization because ofthe additional layer of authentication required. Further, within thetypes of authentication, varying levels of authorization may be used.For example, when using a password, the system may require the user tocreate a password according to strict rules designed to increase thesecurity level of the password, and therefore increase the confidenceand user authorization level of any authentication using the password.As another example, the authentication method based on biometricinformation of the user may be determined to comprise a higher level ofuser authorization, in comparison with another method comprising apasscode or a swipe pattern since biometric information cannot bereproduced as easily. In another instance, a session initiated by theuser by providing one or more authentication credentials at apredetermined time period before the initiation of the transaction or toanother auxiliary device/application may be assigned a lower userauthorization level in comparison with a session in which the userprovides the one or more authentication credentials after the initiationof the transaction and/or to the digital wallet interface or the pointof dale terminal associated with the merchant system.

Accordingly, a continuum of authentication may be used to quantify (ordictate) the levels of authentication. For example, the continuum ofdesired levels of may range from zero user authorization level requiringno authentication credentials to a highest user authorization levelrequiring one or more authentication credentials with high confidence,with one or more progressive authorization levels in between. These userauthorization levels may be identified by alpha numeric identifiers,pictorial identifiers, or any other suitable way. For example, level Amay be the highest user authorization level with levels B-Dprogressively leading to the lowest user authorization level E. Althoughillustrated as comprising five levels, the continuum may comprise moreor fewer levels. For example, level E may be a “zero authentication”level requiring no authentication credentials, while in the other handlevel A may be a “hard authentication” requiring full authenticationcredentials or the strictest combination of credentials. In between thetwo extremes, “a soft authentication” requires minimal credentials,moderate credentials or most credentials for various points along thecontinuum. The continuum generally represents the number of credentialsrequired and/or the relative strength of the credentials required forthat point on the continuum. As discussed above with reference todesired authorization levels, the continuum of user authorization may becoupled with the continuum of desired authorization as illustrated byblock 970. Different levels of user authorization may be requireddifferent levels of desired authorization for processing/allowing thetransaction. For example, in some cases a “soft” authentication may berequired when the user performs a recurring transaction with a merchantknown to the system and/or the financial institution. As anotherexample, a “hard” authentication may be required when the user seeks tocreate a new payment credential for a transaction, when the user seeksto change one or more parameters associated with the user's paymentcredentials/financial institution accounts or when the user initiates atransaction outside a geo-fence/geographic perimeter designated to bethe user's customary geo-fence. In some embodiments each authorizationlevel in the desired authorization continuum corresponds to one or morelevels in the user authorization continuum and vice versa, while inother embodiments at least a portion of the continua are distinct.

Therefore, in some embodiments, the system determines a desired level ofauthorization associated with the transaction initiated by the user. Thesystem then determines a user level of authorization achieved by theuser based on the authentication credentials provided by the useraccompanying a payment credential/financial instrument. Next at block970, the system determines whether the first payment credential iseligible/optimal to process the transaction, wherein determining furthercomprises comparing the desired level of authorization related to thetransaction with the user authorization level associated with the firstpayment credential/financial instrument. In this regard, in someembodiments, the continua may be coupled with one another such that thevarious authorization levels along the continua intersect at specificpoints of the coupled continuum. For example, one continuum may be movedleft or right with respect to the other continuum in order to achieve adifferent relationship between the desired authentication level topermit the transaction and the available user authorization level.Accordingly, for a given coupling, a specific level on the desiredauthorization continuum provides that a particular transaction may bepermitted given that a specified level of authorization is achieved bythe credentials supplied by the user, as indicated by a correspondinglevel on the user authorization continuum. For example, the systemand/or the user may arrange the continua with respect to one another andmay adjust the arrangement based on changing desires or goals. In someembodiments, one or both the continua may have weighted scales suchthat, as a level on the continuum is moved, the correspondingtransactions permitted and/or level of authentication required maychange exponentially or otherwise. Furthermore, in various embodiments,other representations of the various transactions permitted thatcorrespond with the various levels of user authentication may be used bythe invention.

Referring now to FIG. 10, illustrating a high level process flow 1000for transaction authorization based on user authentication in accordancewith some embodiments of the invention. Typically in some embodiments,if the user authentication level associated with the first paymentcredential/financial instrument matches the desired level ofauthorization associated with the transaction, the system allows thetransaction at block 1080. However, the process flow 1000 also includes,as represented by block 1010, determining that the first paymentcredential is not optimal/eligible for processing the transaction, basedon determining that the user authentication level associated with thefirst payment credential/financial instrument does not match the desiredlevel of authorization associated with the transaction. In someembodiments, the user authentication level is higher than the desiredauthentication level for the transaction as illustrated by 1020. In suchinstances the system authorizes the transaction using the first paymentcredential/financial instrument and enables the processing of thetransaction. In other embodiments, the system may choose a secondpayment credential indicating that a more trusted method ofauthentication was used. The system may replace the first paymentcredential with the second payment credential and transmit the secondpayment credential to the point of sale terminal of the transactionterminal instead to continue the transaction ay block 1080. The secondpayment credential may enable quicker processing/settlement of thetransaction, processing with fewer rules, with fewer/relaxed limits orthe like. In some embodiments, the system transmits a notification thatthe user authentication level is higher than the desired authenticationlevel for the transaction to a financial institution system associatedwith the first payment credential. In this regard the notification maycause the financial institution system to process/settle the transactionquicker, with fewer rules or limits, instead of transmitting the secondpayment credential. The second payment credential may be substantiallysimilar to the first payment credential in some instances. For example,the second payment credential may be directed to the financialinstitution account and/or the financial instrument associated with thefirst payment credential. In some embodiments, the system may analyzeone or more digital wallets of the user, stored at one or more locationsto identify the second payment credential indicating that the userauthentication level is higher than the desired authentication level forthe transaction. In some embodiments, the system analyzes the financialaccounts and payment instruments of the user and creates a new paymentcredential for the second payment credential and may “push” or transmitthe second payment credential to the user's digital wallet by a shortmessage service (SMS), by near filed communication, by the operativecommunication channel via the network or any other suitable means, inreal time. These second payment credential may be one-time or multipleuse credential.

In some embodiments, the user authentication level is lower than thedesired authentication level for the transaction. In such instances thesystem may initiate a presentation of one or more payment credentialsassociated with the user, via a graphical user interface displayed onthe user device, the one or more payment credentials being eligible toprocess the transaction as illustrated by block 1030. In someembodiments, the system may determine one or more second paymentcredentials that are associated with a desired authorization level thatmatches the existing user authorization level associated with the userauthentication method. For example, the system may determine a secondpayment credential that has been pre-authenticated for the transactionamount or the merchant associated with the transaction, either by theuser or by the system/financial institution associated with the secondpayment credential. Next the system may receive via the graphical userinterface, a user selection of a payment credential at block 1040. Insome embodiments, the presentation of the one or more paymentcredentials via a graphical user interface may be substantially similarto the steps 810-830 described previously.

Alternatively, on determining that the user authentication level islower than the desired authentication level for the transaction, thesystem may request one or more additional authentication credentialsfrom the user via the established communication link with the point ofsale terminal of the merchant at block 1050. For example, the system maydetermine that the user provided a passcode to initiate a transactionwith the first payment credential stored in the digital wallet. However,the system may determine that an additional credential comprising apersonal identification number associated with the payment credentialwould be required to achieve a user authorization level that matches thedesired authorization of the transaction. As another example, the systemmay request the user to provide a fingerprint either on the user deviceor on the transaction terminal. As another example, the system maytransmit a one-time pass code to a user device registered with the userand request the user to provide the one-time passcode at the point ofsale terminal. In some embodiments, the system may transmit controlinstructions to the user device and request and/or receive the one ormore additional authentication credentials from the user device. In someembodiments, the system may transmit control instructions to themerchant system/the point of sale terminal that cause the merchantsystems/the point of sale terminal to request and/or receive additionalauthentication credentials from the user. Next, the system may validatethe one or more additional authentication credentials, as illustrated byblock 1060. Validation of the one or more additional authenticationcredentials may comparing the received credentials those retrieved fromdatabases associated with the system or the financial institutionassociated with the user. Furthermore, the system may determine that thefirst payment credential is eligible to process the transaction based onat least successfully validating the one or more received authenticationcredentials at block 1070.

The system then initiates authorization and/or processing of thetransaction using the payment credential, as illustrated by block 1080.In this regard, the system may transmit control signals to the userdevice to cause the user device to transmit the payment credential tothe point of sale terminal or the merchant system, such that thetransaction can continue with the selected payment credential. Thesystem may also transmit a notification to the point of sale terminal,the user system and/or the merchant system indicating that that thetransaction has been processed using the at least one selected paymentcredential, as illustrated by block 1090. In other embodiments thenotification may comprise requests for additional information orcredentials from the merchant and/or the user required for theprocessing of the transaction. The notification may be through textmessages, emails, phone calls, vibratory and/or audible alerts or anyother suitable notification means.

As detailed elsewhere in the disclosure, the processes flows describedabove may be performed by the system server 208, the merchant system206, 3^(rd) party systems like other financial institution systemsassociated with the merchant accounts, payment routing associations andthe like (not illustrated), the user system 204, either entirely orpartially. To further illustrate this, a high level process flow 1100for automatic and real time utilization of payment credentials based ontransaction parameters is illustrated in FIG. 11. The high level processflow may be conducted by a mobile wallet application installed on a userdevice. In some embodiments, the mobile wallet application may be incommunication with other applications/parts of the user device and oneor more external systems. The steps of process flow 1100 may besubstantially similar to those described previously in the disclosure.The mobile wallet application stored on the user device is hereinafterreferred to as “the application”.

FIG. 11 illustrates establishing an operative communication link betweena point of sale terminal associated with a merchant and a user devicecomprising a mobile wallet application at block 1110. In someembodiments, the application causes the user device to establishcommunication with the transaction terminal through near fieldcommunication or by any other suitable means, by providing requisitepermissions, authentication, identification or the like. In someembodiments, the application may automatically cause the creation of theoperative communication link between a point of sale terminal associatedwith a merchant and a user device, when the user is within apredetermined proximity to a transaction terminal or a point of saleterminal associated with the merchant. In some embodiments, theautomatically present an interface to the user on the user device, whenthe user is in within a predetermined proximity to the terminal. Theinterface may be visual, auditory, tactile, or a combination. In thisregard the application by also alert the user to view the interface byvibratory/auditory notifications or other means. In some embodiments,the application seeks the user's permission before establishing thecommunication.

Next, block 1120 illustrates receiving an indication that a user hasinitiated a transaction. In some embodiments, the user may indicate thathe/she wishes to initiate a transaction at the point of sale terminal bychoosing one or more options presented to the user on the user interfaceif the user device. In some embodiments, receiving an indicationcomprises receiving permission from the user to establish an operativecommunication link between a point of sale terminal associated with amerchant and a user device.

The process flow 1100 may include retrieving transaction informationassociated with the initiated transaction, wherein the transactioninformation comprises one or more transaction parameters, the one ormore transaction parameters comprising a geographic location and atransaction amount, at block 1130. In this regard, the application mayreceive transaction information from the point of sale terminal via theestablished communication link, in some embodiments. While in otherembodiments, the application may receive the transaction informationthrough the merchant systems or from the user.

Typically, once the merchant receives a payment credential forcompletion of a transaction, the merchant transmits the paymentcredential to a financial institution for authorization and/orprocessing and settlement. In this regard, the financial institution mayneed to determine additional details to authorize and/or authenticatethe transaction or to determine confidence in the transaction. In otherinstances, the transaction parameters may dictate the offers to beapplied, the number of verifications conducted or the method ofprocessing used to process the transactions. The methods of processingthe transactions may include providing temporary authorizations beforecompletion of verification of the transaction, allowing the transactiononly after complete verification of the transaction and the like. Forexample, the system may receive an indication that a transaction wasconducted at location C, with a payment credential associated with auser. The system may then verify the location of the user by variousmeans and then provide temporary authorization. As another example thesystem may receive authentication credentials of the user via themerchant and compare them with a retrieved credential from a databasebefore further processing of the transaction. Therefore, processing ofthe transactions requires various steps that are time consuming, thatrequire retrieval and processing of large amounts of data from varioussources. The present invention provides a solution to the above problemby providing an application on the user device that automaticallydetermines and transmits optimal payment credentials based ontransaction parameters, such the receiving financial institution systemsmay process the transactions in a quick, efficient manner and in realtime. In this regard the invention leverages existing infrastructure toimprove the processing efficiency and processing speed of thetransaction without requiring additional devices or attachments whileensuring proper verification and authorization of the transactions.

At block 1140, the application determines one or more paymentcredentials applicable to process the transaction based on analyzing atleast the transaction information, the one or more payment credentialsbeing associated with the user, wherein each of the one or more paymentcredentials are associated with at least one correlated transactionparameter of the one or more transaction parameters. In this regard, oneor more payment credentials associated with the user may be correlatedwith one or more transaction parameters. In some embodiments, thepayment credentials may be correlated with a transaction amount. Forexample, payment credential A may be associated/correlated for usewithin a first transaction amount range while payment credential B maybe correlated for use for a second transaction amount range greater thanthe first range. Typically, the financial institution may processes thetransactions differently depending on the transaction amount. Forexample, transactions with large amounts of funds may be processed withmore rules. When the user initiates a transaction, the application maydetermine that the transaction amount of the initiated transaction iswithin the first range and transmit the payment credential A for theprocessing of the transaction. The financial institution may recognizethat payment credential A is earmarked for lower transaction amounts,and may instantaneously provide temporary authorization for completionof the transaction, and instead performing complete verification beforesettlement. In this regard, the system may determine a plurality ofpayment credentials associated with the user (either existing or maycreate new credentials) and identify that each of the credentials arecorrelated with a maximum transaction amount or amount range and chooseone or more credentials with maximum transaction amounts that areappropriate for the current transaction. Similarly, in some embodiments,the payment credentials may be correlated with geographic areas. Forexample some payment credentials P1 may be associated with City A whileother payment credentials P2 may be associated with City B. Theapplication may choose payment credentials based on determining if thetransaction location is associated with City A or if the location issituated within City B. The financial institution may receive paymentcredential P1 and recognize that the user is within City A and mayprocess the transaction accordingly. For example, the system apply anoffer available only in city A. In some embodiments, determining one ormore optimal payment credentials is done in addition to the conventionalmethods of processing and verification described above. In thisinstance, the determining one or more optimal payment credentials addsan additional layer of security to the transactions and augments theconfidence in the transactions. For example, on receiving the paymentcredential P2, the financial institution system may recognize that theuser is in City B. The system may then also determine the user'slocation by other means described in the specification or byconventional means and compare it with the location City B from paymentcredential P2. The system may allow the transaction based on the addedverification.

In other embodiments, the system may process transactions differentlybased on receiving payment credentials associated with userauthentication methods described above. For example, the application maytransmit a first type of payment credential when the user authenticatesthemselves with their fingerprint and a second payment credential whenthe user provides a passcode. On receiving the first type of paymentcredential, the financial institution system may determine that the userutilized an authentication method with a high level of userauthorization and the system may then provide a temporary authorizationfor the transaction or allow completion of the transaction. Therefore,the financial institution system does not require access to the fingerprint credentials of the user, since the application validates theauthentication credentials before transmitting the payment credential.Therefore, the privacy of the user's personal information is maintained.On receiving the second type of payment credential, the financialinstitution system may recognize that the user utilized anauthentication method with a lower level of user authorization and thesystem may request additional authentication in real time or process thetransaction with higher rules. Therefore, the present invention enablesprocessing of transactions in the optimal manner based on transactionparameters and processing the transactions in a quick and efficientmanner with adequate verification.

Block 1150 illustrates initiating, automatically, a presentation of agraphical user interface for display on the user device, wherein thegraphical user interface comprises the one or more payment credentialsapplicable to process the transaction. The presentation of the interfacemay be substantially similar to the instances described elsewhere inthis disclosure. Subsequently, the system may receive via the graphicaluser interface, a user selection of at least one payment credential fromthe one or more payment credentials determined to be applicable toprocess the transaction, as illustrated by block 1160. The applicationmay then cause the transmission of the at least one payment credentialto the point of sale terminal, via the established link at block 1170.

It will further be understood that a system as contemplated herein canbe configured to perform any of the portions of the process flows500-1000 and/or 1100 upon or after one or more triggering events (which,in some embodiments, is one or more any of the portions of the processflows 500-1000 and/or 1100). As used herein, “triggering event” refersto an event that automatically triggers the execution, performance,and/or implementation of a triggered action, either immediately, nearlyimmediately, or sometime after (e.g., within minutes, etc.) theoccurrence of the triggering event. For example, in some embodiments,the system performing any of the portions of the process flows 500-1000and/or 1100 is configured such that the system receiving an indicationof a compromised payment vehicle or a potential exposure to loss (thetriggering event) automatically and immediately or nearly immediatelytriggers the system to automatically (without human intervention)generate a payment credential for facilitating or completing a pendingpurchase transaction (the triggered action).

Also it will be understood that, in some embodiments, a predeterminedtime and/or the passage of a predetermined per any of the portions ofthe process flows 500-1000 and/or 1100. Of course, any of theembodiments described and/or contemplated herein can involve one or moretriggering events, triggered actions, automatic actions, and/or humanactions. In addition, it will be understood that, in some embodiments, asystem performing any of the portions of the process flows 500-1000and/or 1100 (and/or a user thereof) is configured to perform eachportion of the process flows 500-1000 and/or 1100 from start to finish,within moments, seconds, and/or minutes (e.g., within approximately10-15 minutes, etc.). In some embodiments, any of the portions of theprocess flows 500-1000 and/or 1100 are performed in real time, insubstantially real time, and/or at one or more predetermined times.Further, it will be understood that the number, order, and/or content ofany of the portions of the process flows 500-1000 and/or 1100 areexemplary and may vary. It will further be understood that the any ofthe portions of the process flows 500-1000 and/or 1100 can be configuredto perform any one or more of the portions of any one or more of theembodiments described and/or contemplated herein.

In various embodiments of the invention, transaction limits and/orthresholds may be used. For example, transaction limits may be used todetermine whether a payment credential has been exposed and/or whetherto approve or deny a transaction. If a transaction (e.g., transactioninformation) fails to meet a limit, the transaction may be denied.Alternatively, if a transaction (e.g., transaction information) meets alimit, then the transaction may be allowed.

While the system has been described as determining whether thetransaction meets the limits and thereby determining whether an exposurehas occurred, in some embodiments filters for determining exposure mayalso be responsive to transaction information. For example, exceptionsto filters may allow a transaction even if a filter is not met. In anembodiment, the system evaluates the transaction information todetermine: (1) does the transaction meet the limits; and (2) if thetransaction does not meet the limits, does the transaction qualify foran exception to the limits. If the system determines that a positiveresponse to either query, then transaction may be allowed.

In some embodiments, the exceptions are based at least in part upon thetransaction information. For example, the system may determine that atransaction does not meet a category limit because doing so would causethe payment credential to exceed the category limit for the time period.In this example, however, the system also determines that the paymentcredential is near, e.g., within one week, within three days, within oneday, or the like, the expiration date of the token or the currentevaluation period for the payment credential and that the paymentcredential has remaining funds in a different category. Given the shortperiod of time remaining for the expenses to be made, the system maydetermine that the transaction falls within an exception and allow thetransaction. In another example, the system may determine that the useris outside of geographic limits defined by a route. The system, however,determines that the user has conducted a transaction at the merchantfrequently in the past and therefore allows the transaction based on theprevious number of transactions at the merchant. These examples usemultiple types of transaction information, e.g., the date of thetransaction, the location of the transaction, the category of thetransaction, the amount of the transaction, and the like, to determineif the exceptions apply. In some embodiments, only a single piece oftransaction information applies. For example, the system may alwayspermit transactions that are associated with a specific category, forexample, emergency expenses. The system may always permit transactionsat emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and the like.

In some embodiments, the exceptions are determined by the system and/orthe user. For example, the system may provide a list of exceptions basedon the user's transaction history. If the user has a favorite coffeeshop, the system may allow transactions at the coffee shop up to acertain amount even if the transaction would not meet a limit. The useror an administrator may provide exceptions based on location or othertransaction information. For example, the user may input exceptions thatallow transactions within a specific region, e.g., a city that would notbe allowed outside of the specific region. The exceptions may be changedat any time by the system or user.

The exceptions may be limited by frequency, amount, percentage of thelimit, or the like. For example, a transaction may qualify for anexception but only up to a certain percentage of the funds remaining ina related category. For example, a transaction may qualify for anexception because the expense period for the token is almost expired andthere are remaining funds in a first category. The system may permit atransaction in a second category up to some percentage (e.g., 50%) ofthe funds remaining in the first category.

The transaction-responsive limits are designed to provide flexibility tothe system and better serve the user. The transaction-responsive limitsmay be tailored to the user or generic to the token and/or system. Byproviding for transaction-responsive limits, the system allowstransactions that would otherwise be denied based on binary yes/nolimits when the transaction information indicates the appropriateness ofthe transaction.

In some embodiments, the system determines one or more offers associatedwith transactions performed using the payment credentials. The systemmay display the one or more offers associated with one or more paymentcredentials and/or the wallets on the payment credential dashboard. Insome embodiments, the system automatically applies the suitable offersto transactions performed using the integrated interface, while in otherembodiments the system receives a selection of a suitable offer from theuser. In some embodiments, the integrated interface enables the user tomonitor and redeem loyalty points accrued from at least one transactionexecuted using the integrated interface. In some embodiments, theinterface enables the user to monitor and/or modify pending transactionsassociated with payment credentials. In some embodiments, the systemenables the user to retrieve transaction history associated with one ormore payment credentials.

Although many embodiments of the present invention have just beendescribed above, the present invention may be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Also, it will beunderstood that, where possible, any of the advantages, features,functions, devices, and/or operational aspects of any of the embodimentsof the present invention described and/or contemplated herein may beincluded in any of the other embodiments of the present inventiondescribed and/or contemplated herein, and/or vice versa. In addition,where possible, any terms expressed in the singular form herein aremeant to also include the plural form and/or vice versa, unlessexplicitly stated otherwise. As used herein, “at least one” shall mean“one or more” and these phrases are intended to be interchangeable.Accordingly, the terms “a” and/or “an” shall mean “at least one” or “oneor more,” even though the phrase “one or more” or “at least one” is alsoused herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art in view ofthis disclosure, the present invention may include and/or be embodied asan apparatus (including, for example, a system, machine, device,computer program product, and/or the like), as a method (including, forexample, a business method, computer-implemented process, and/or thelike), or as any combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodimentsof the present invention may take the form of an entirely businessmethod embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,resident software, micro-code, stored procedures in a database, etc.),an entirely hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining businessmethod, software, and hardware aspects that may generally be referred toherein as a “system.” Furthermore, embodiments of the present inventionmay take the form of a computer program product that includes acomputer-readable storage medium having one or more computer-executableprogram code portions stored therein. As used herein, a processor, whichmay include one or more processors, may be “configured to” perform acertain function in a variety of ways, including, for example, by havingone or more general-purpose circuits perform the function by executingone or more computer-executable program code portions embodied in acomputer-readable medium, and/or by having one or moreapplication-specific circuits perform the function.

It will be understood that any suitable computer-readable medium may beutilized. The computer-readable medium may include, but is not limitedto, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a tangibleelectronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, and/orsemiconductor system, device, and/or other apparatus. For example, insome embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes atangible medium such as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM), and/or some other tangible optical and/ormagnetic storage device. In other embodiments of the present invention,however, the computer-readable medium may be transitory, such as, forexample, a propagation signal including computer-executable program codeportions embodied therein.

One or more computer-executable program code portions for carrying outoperations of the present invention may include object-oriented,scripted, and/or unscripted programming languages, such as, for example,Java, Perl, Smalltalk, C++, SAS, SQL, Python, Objective C, JavaScript,and/or the like. In some embodiments, the one or morecomputer-executable program code portions for carrying out operations ofembodiments of the present invention are written in conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming languagesand/or similar programming languages. The computer program code mayalternatively or additionally be written in one or more multi-paradigmprogramming languages, such as, for example, F#.

Some embodiments of the present invention are described herein withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of apparatusand/or methods. It will be understood that each block included in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and/or combinations ofblocks included in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams,may be implemented by one or more computer-executable program codeportions. These one or more computer-executable program code portionsmay be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, and/or some other programmable data processingapparatus in order to produce a particular machine, such that the one ormore computer-executable program code portions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer and/or other programmable data processingapparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the steps and/or functionsrepresented by the flowchart(s) and/or block diagram block(s).

The one or more computer-executable program code portions may be storedin a transitory and/or non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., amemory, etc.) that can direct, instruct, and/or cause a computer and/orother programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the computer-executable program code portions storedin the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufactureincluding instruction mechanisms which implement the steps and/orfunctions specified in the flowchart(s) and/or block diagram block(s).

The one or more computer-executable program code portions may also beloaded onto a computer and/or other programmable data processingapparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on thecomputer and/or other programmable apparatus. In some embodiments, thisproduces a computer-implemented process such that the one or morecomputer-executable program code portions which execute on the computerand/or other programmable apparatus provide operational steps toimplement the steps specified in the flowchart(s) and/or the functionsspecified in the block diagram block(s). Alternatively,computer-implemented steps may be combined with, and/or replaced with,operator- and/or human-implemented steps in order to carry out anembodiment of the present invention.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, andthat this invention not be limited to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described, since various other changes,combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions, in addition tothose set forth in the above paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled inthe art will appreciate that various adaptations, modifications, andcombinations of the just described embodiments can be configured withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it isto be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for non-intrusive geo locationdetermination for transaction authorization, whereby the apparatusenables authorization of at least one transaction associated with auser, based on at least determining a congruence of a user location anda transaction location, without retrieving geographic locationcoordinates from a user device, whereby the apparatus enables automaticand real time utilization of one or more payment credentials applicablefor a transaction initiated by the user, the apparatus comprising: atleast one memory; at least one processor; and a module stored in thememory, executable by the at least one processor, and configured tocause the at least one processor to: establish an operativecommunication link between a point of sale terminal associated with amerchant and the user device comprising a mobile wallet application;receive an indication that the user has initiated a transaction;retrieve transaction information associated with the initiatedtransaction, wherein the transaction information comprises one or moretransaction parameters, the one or more transaction parameterscomprising a geographic location and a transaction amount; implementnon-intrusive geo location determination for authenticating the at leastone transaction, comprising transmitting one or more polar queriesrelated to the at least one transaction structured such that the one ormore polar queries can be answered, automatically by the user device, inaffirmative or in negative and validating the transaction based on (i) apolar query reply received from the user device in affirmative or innegative and (ii) without retrieving geographic location coordinates ofthe user device; determine one or more payment credentials stored in amobile wallet application of the user device applicable to process thetransaction based on analyzing at least the transaction information, theone or more payment credentials being associated with the user, whereineach of the one or more payment credentials are associated with at leastone correlated transaction parameter of the one or more transactionparameters; initiate, automatically, a presentation of a graphical userinterface for display on the user device, wherein the graphical userinterface comprises the one or more payment credentials applicable toprocess the transaction, wherein initiating the presentation of thegraphical user interface comprises: in response to determining that themobile wallet application is turned off or is running in the backgroundon the user device, transmitting an activation control signal to theuser device to cause the mobile wallet application to present thegraphical user interface, in real time via a network; receive via thegraphical user interface, a user selection of at least one paymentcredential from the one or more payment credentials determined to beapplicable to process the transaction; and transmit via the establishedoperative communication link between the point of sale terminal and theuser device, the at least one payment credential to the point of saleterminal; wherein, the transmitted at least one payment credential isconfigured to enable an external system to process the transaction basedon the at least one correlated transaction parameter.
 2. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the at least one correlated transaction parameter isthe transaction amount, wherein determining the one or more paymentcredentials applicable to process the transaction comprises: determininga plurality of payment credentials associated with the user, whereineach of the plurality of payment credentials are associated with one ormore transaction amount parameters, the one or more transaction amountparameters comprising a maximum transaction amount; and determining theone or more payment credentials of the plurality of payment credentials,based on determining that the one or more transaction amount parametersassociated with each of the one or more payment credentials areapplicable for the transaction amount of the transaction; wherein theeach of the one or more payment credentials are configured to enable theexternal system to process the transaction in accordance with thetransaction amount.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or moretransaction amount parameters further comprise a time period associatedwith the transaction amount, frequency of use during the time period andminimum threshold balance.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the atleast one correlated transaction parameter is the geographic location,wherein determining the one or more payment credentials applicable toprocess the transaction comprises: determining a plurality of paymentcredentials associated with the user, wherein each of the plurality ofpayment credentials are associated with a geographic area; anddetermining the one or more payment credentials of the plurality ofpayment credentials, based on determining that the geographic locationof the transaction is within the geographic area associated with each ofthe one or more payment credentials; wherein the each of the one or morepayment credentials are configured to enable the external system toprocess the transaction in accordance with the geographic location. 5.The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more payment credentialscomprise one or more characteristics, the one or more characteristicscomprising currency exchange rate, loyalty points, processing time andpurchase offers.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein module is furtherconfigured to cause the at least one processor to: determine a method ofauthentication associated with the transaction, wherein the method ofauthentication comprises one or more authentication credentials providedby the user at the user device, wherein determining the method ofauthentication further comprises: requesting the one or moreauthentication credentials from the user via the graphical userinterface of the user device; and receiving, the one or moreauthentication credentials from the user; and determine a level of userauthorization associated with the method of authentication.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one correlated transactionparameter is the level of user authorization, wherein determining theone or more payment credentials applicable to process the transactioncomprises: determining a plurality of payment credentials associatedwith the user, wherein each of the plurality of payment credentials areassociated with a credential authorization level; and determining theone or more payment credentials of the plurality of payment credentials,based on determining that the level of user authorization matches thecredential authorization level; wherein the each of the one or morepayment credentials are configured to enable the external system toprocess the transaction in accordance with the level of userauthorization.
 8. A method for non-intrusive geo location determinationfor transaction authorization, whereby at least one processor enablesauthorization of at least one transaction associated with a user, basedon at least determining a congruence of a user location and atransaction location, without retrieving geographic location coordinatesfrom a user device, whereby the at least one processor enables automaticand real time utilization of one or more payment credentials applicablefor a transaction initiated by a user, the method comprising:establishing, by the at least one processor, an operative communicationlink between a point of sale terminal associated with a merchant and theuser device comprising a mobile wallet application; receiving, by the atleast one processor, an indication that the user has initiated atransaction; retrieving, by the at least one processor, transactioninformation associated with the initiated transaction, wherein thetransaction information comprises one or more transaction parameters,the one or more transaction parameters comprising a geographic locationand a transaction amount; implementing, by the at least one processor,non-intrusive geo location determination for authenticating the at leastone transaction, comprising transmitting one or more polar queriesrelated to the at least one transaction structured such that the one ormore polar queries can be answered, automatically by the user device, inaffirmative or in negative and validating the transaction based on (i) apolar query reply received from the user device in affirmative or innegative and (ii) without retrieving geographic location coordinates ofthe user device; determining, by the at least one processor, one or morepayment credentials stored in a mobile wallet application of the userdevice applicable to process the transaction based on analyzing at leastthe transaction information, the one or more payment credentials beingassociated with the user, wherein each of the one or more paymentcredentials are associated with at least one correlated transactionparameter of the one or more transaction parameters; initiating, by theat least one processor, automatically, a presentation of a graphicaluser interface for display on the user device, wherein the graphicaluser interface comprises the one or more payment credentials applicableto process the transaction, wherein initiating the presentation of thegraphical user interface comprises: in response to determining that themobile wallet application is turned off or is running in the backgroundon the user device, transmitting an activation control signal to theuser device to cause the mobile wallet application to present thegraphical user interface, in real time via a network; receiving, by theat least one processor, via the graphical user interface, a userselection of at least one payment credential from the one or morepayment credentials determined to be applicable to process thetransaction; and transmitting, by the at least one processor, via theestablished operative communication link between the point of saleterminal and the user device, the at least one payment credential to thepoint of sale terminal; wherein, the transmitted at least one paymentcredential is configured to enable an external system to process thetransaction based on the at least one correlated transaction parameter.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one correlatedtransaction parameter is the transaction amount, wherein determining theone or more payment credentials applicable to process the transactioncomprises: determining a plurality of payment credentials associatedwith the user, wherein each of the plurality of payment credentials areassociated with one or more transaction amount parameters, the one ormore transaction amount parameters comprising a maximum transactionamount; and determining the one or more payment credentials of theplurality of payment credentials, based on determining that the one ormore transaction amount parameters associated with each of the one ormore payment credentials are applicable for the transaction amount ofthe transaction; wherein the each of the one or more payment credentialsare configured to enable the external system to process the transactionin accordance with the transaction amount.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the one or more transaction amount parameters further comprise atime period associated with the transaction amount, frequency of useduring the time period and minimum threshold balance.
 11. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the at least one correlated transaction parameter isthe geographic location, wherein determining the one or more paymentcredentials applicable to process the transaction comprises: determininga plurality of payment credentials associated with the user, whereineach of the plurality of payment credentials are associated with ageographic area; and determining the one or more payment credentials ofthe plurality of payment credentials, based on determining that thegeographic location of the transaction is within the geographic areaassociated with each of the one or more payment credentials; wherein theeach of the one or more payment credentials are configured to enable theexternal system to process the transaction in accordance with thegeographic location.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or morepayment credentials comprise one or more characteristics, the one ormore characteristics comprising currency exchange rate, loyalty points,processing time and purchase offers.
 13. The method of claim 8, whereinthe method further comprises: determining, by the at least oneprocessor, a method of authentication associated with the transaction,wherein the method of authentication comprises one or moreauthentication credentials provided by the user at the user device,wherein determining the method of authentication further comprises:requesting the one or more authentication credentials from the user viathe graphical user interface of the user device; and receiving, the oneor more authentication credentials from the user; and determining, bythe at least one processor, a level of user authorization associatedwith the method of authentication.
 14. The method of claim 13, whereinthe at least one correlated transaction parameter is the level of userauthorization, wherein determining the one or more payment credentialsapplicable to process the transaction comprises: determining a pluralityof payment credentials associated with the user, wherein each of theplurality of payment credentials are associated with a credentialauthorization level; and determining the one or more payment credentialsof the plurality of payment credentials, based on determining that thelevel of user authorization matches the credential authorization level;wherein the each of the one or more payment credentials are configuredto enable the external system to process the transaction in accordancewith the level of user authorization.
 15. A computer program product fornon-intrusive geo location determination for transaction authorization,whereby the computer program product enables authorization of at leastone transaction associated with a user, based on at least determining acongruence of a user location and a transaction location, withoutretrieving geographic location coordinates from a user device, wherebythe computer program product enables automatic and real time utilizationof one or more payment credentials applicable for a transactioninitiated by a user, the computer program product comprising anon-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that whenexecuted causes a first apparatus to: establish an operativecommunication link between a point of sale terminal associated with amerchant and the user device comprising a mobile wallet application;receive an indication that the user has initiated a transaction;retrieve transaction information associated with the initiatedtransaction, wherein the transaction information comprises one or moretransaction parameters, the one or more transaction parameterscomprising a geographic location and a transaction amount; implementnon-intrusive geo location determination for authenticating the at leastone transaction, comprising transmitting one or more polar queriesrelated to the at least one transaction structured such that the one ormore polar queries can be answered, automatically by the user device, inaffirmative or in negative and validating the transaction based on (i) apolar query reply received from the user device in affirmative or innegative and (ii) without retrieving geographic location coordinates ofthe user device; determine one or more payment credentials stored in amobile wallet application of the user device applicable to process thetransaction based on analyzing at least the transaction information, theone or more payment credentials being associated with the user, whereineach of the one or more payment credentials are associated with at leastone correlated transaction parameter of the one or more transactionparameters; initiate, automatically, a presentation of a graphical userinterface for display on the user device, wherein the graphical userinterface comprises the one or more payment credentials applicable toprocess the transaction, wherein initiating the presentation of thegraphical user interface comprises: in response to determining that themobile wallet application is turned off or is running in the backgroundon the user device, transmitting an activation control signal to theuser device to cause the mobile wallet application to present thegraphical user interface, in real time via a network; receive via thegraphical user interface, a user selection of at least one paymentcredential from the one or more payment credentials determined to beapplicable to process the transaction; and transmit via the establishedoperative communication link between the point of sale terminal and theuser device, the at least one payment credential to the point of saleterminal; wherein, the transmitted at least one payment credential isconfigured to enable an external system to process the transaction basedon the at least one correlated transaction parameter.
 16. The computerprogram product of claim 15, wherein the at least one correlatedtransaction parameter is the transaction amount, wherein determining theone or more payment credentials applicable to process the transactioncomprises: determining a plurality of payment credentials associatedwith the user, wherein each of the plurality of payment credentials areassociated with one or more transaction amount parameters, the one ormore transaction amount parameters comprising a maximum transactionamount; and determining the one or more payment credentials of theplurality of payment credentials, based on determining that the one ormore transaction amount parameters associated with each of the one ormore payment credentials are applicable for the transaction amount ofthe transaction; wherein the each of the one or more payment credentialsare configured to enable the external system to process the transactionin accordance with the transaction amount.
 17. The computer programproduct of claim 16, wherein the one or more transaction amountparameters further comprise a time period associated with thetransaction amount, frequency of use during the time period and minimumthreshold balance.
 18. The computer program product of claim 15, whereinthe at least one correlated transaction parameter is the geographiclocation, wherein determining the one or more payment credentialsapplicable to process the transaction comprises: determining a pluralityof payment credentials associated with the user, wherein each of theplurality of payment credentials are associated with a geographic area;and determining the one or more payment credentials of the plurality ofpayment credentials, based on determining that the geographic locationof the transaction is within the geographic area associated with each ofthe one or more payment credentials; wherein the each of the one or morepayment credentials are configured to enable the external system toprocess the transaction in accordance with the geographic location. 19.The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitorycomputer-readable medium causes the first apparatus to: determine amethod of authentication associated with the transaction, wherein themethod of authentication comprises one or more authenticationcredentials provided by the user at the user device, wherein determiningthe method of authentication further comprises: requesting the one ormore authentication credentials from the user via the graphical userinterface of the user device; and receiving, the one or moreauthentication credentials from the user; and determine a level of userauthorization associated with the method of authentication.
 20. Thecomputer program product of claim 19, wherein the at least onecorrelated transaction parameter is the level of user authorization,wherein determining the one or more payment credentials applicable toprocess the transaction comprises: determining a plurality of paymentcredentials associated with the user, wherein each of the plurality ofpayment credentials are associated with a credential authorizationlevel; and determining the one or more payment credentials of theplurality of payment credentials, based on determining that the level ofuser authorization matches the credential authorization level; whereinthe each of the one or more payment credentials are configured to enablethe external system to process the transaction in accordance with thelevel of user authorization.